An In-Depth Guide To Livestock Licking Contests

Livestock licking contests, where animals compete to lick up feed the fastest, may seem silly but they have a long history at state fairs and rural community events. If you’ve ever wondered what these quirky competitions are all about, you’ve come to the right place.

If you’re short on time, here’s the key things to know about livestock licking contests: they involve animals like cows, pigs, and goats competing to lick up and eat food the fastest. The contests test the animals’ feeding drive and are mostly just for fun at local fairs and festivals.

In this nearly 3,000 word guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the world of competitive livestock feeding including:

The History and Origins of Livestock Licking Contests

Old-Fashioned Roots at State & County Fairs

Livestock licking contests have their roots in the old-fashioned state and county fairs that have been a staple of rural American life for over a century. As far back as the late 1800s, farmers would bring their prize cattle, sheep, pigs and other livestock to local fairs to show them off and compete for ribbons and cash prizes.

In between the more serious competitions like breed conformation and weight gain, fair-goers wanted some lighthearted entertainment. This led to fun contests to showcase the animals’ talents – things like pig racing, sheep herding demonstrations, and of course, livestock licking competitions.

The idea behind a licking contest was simple – set out a plate or bucket of something tasty like molasses, honey, or apple sauce and see which animal can lick it clean the fastest!

Evolving from More Serious Competitions

While livestock licking contests started as silly fair entertainment, they eventually became more structured events with strict rules and regulations. For example, licking contests today are carefully monitored to ensure the substances used are safe for the animals to eat.

Contests sponsored by organizations like 4-H also involve more educational components about proper animal care and handling.

Additionally, more skill and training on the part of owners is now involved to make sure their livestock are ready to competitively lick their way to victory. Special buckets, plates, or contraptions may be used rather than setting an open bucket on the ground.

Owners have creative training techniques to get their pigs, cows, sheep and other animals licking faster before game day. So while the idea behind these quirky contests hasn’t changed much, they now involve more time and preparation than their informal fairground origins over a century ago.

How Livestock Licking Contests Work

Rules and Set-Up of the Arena

Livestock licking contests, often referred to as “lick-offs,” have some basic rules and arena set-up to make the competition fair and entertaining. The licking area is a flat surface, usually a table or platform, with a line dividing it down the middle.

Salt or other minerals are placed on one side of the line to entice the animals to lick. The two competing animals are positioned on either side of the salt, with their front hooves just behind the line.

The standard rules are:

• The animal cannot use their tongue to pull the salt closer or push it away from their opponent.
• No headbutting or otherwise distracting the other animal.
• Front hooves must stay behind the line at all times.

There is often a time limit, with the animal that licks the most salt in that timeframe declared the winner. Or the contest may simply go until all the salt is gone, with the quicker and more aggressive licker winning.

Types of Livestock Used

While any domesticated livestock can participate, some of the most common contenders in licking competitions are:

• Goats: Known for being curious and mischievous, goats often excel at lick-offs. Their nibble-oriented feeding style seems tailor-made for quickly lapping up salt.
• Cows: Don’t underestimate a cow’s licking skills! Their big tongues give them an advantage in covering more surface area.
• Pigs: With their love of food and salts, pigs have an enthusiasm that can lead to victory. Their short tongues move rapidly to consume the minerals.
• Sheep: Sheep aren’t as aggressive as other livestock at the salt lick, but some varieties like certain breeds of hair sheep have competitive spirits.
• Alpacas: Occasionally joining the fun, alpacas are drawn to the salt and can hold their own licking against other moderate small livestock.

Some contests allow different species to go tongue-to-tongue, keeping things wildly interesting!

Judging Criteria

Experienced livestock licking judges look for three main criteria to determine a winner:

• Lick Count: The animal that successfully licks the salt the highest number of times typically wins.
• Intensity: Judges watch for livestock really going at it with enthusiasm and vigor in their licking style.
• Licked Area: The animal that licks the greatest surface area of salt in the time limit demonstrate licking stamina.

Judges must watch closely, as seasoned salt licking competitors can lick up to 120 times a minute when the competition gets fierce!

Some contests even have instant replay using sensors and software to precisely quantify lick counts and patterns. But most rely on the wisdom and experience of judges who have seen thousands of licks in their day.

Strategies Competitors Use to Win

Selecting the Right Animal

When preparing for a livestock licking competition, selecting the right animal is key. Here are some tips on choosing a winning bovine contender:

• Opt for a mid-sized cow or steer – calves may get spooked, while larger cattle can be difficult to handle.
• Pick an animal with a curious personality that enjoys exploring new things. Shy, skittish cattle won’t perform well.
• Choose a breed known for having a rough tongue, like Holsteins or Jerseys – the rougher the better for fast lick times.
• Examine the tongue and look for signs of good health – uniform pink color, no lesions or abnormalities.

Doing test licks with prospective bovine athletes can help determine which has the sandpaper-like tongueEEDED to dominate the licktest.

Training and Feeding Methods

Once a competitor has selected their bovine licker, proper training and nutrition is key to success on event day. Here’s what the top contenders do:

• Get the animal comfortable with the licktest setup by exposing them to lickblocks often.
• Build tongue stamina and technique through daily lick sessions.
• Feed a high-protein diet for muscle growth and condition the tongue like other athletes condition bodies.
• Supplement with salts and mineral blocks to promote salivation and keep the tongue primed.
• Massage the tongue daily with a salt scrub or rough cloth to remove dead cells and enhance surface texture.

The most dedicated competitors even study slow-motion video of their cow’s licking mechanics and make adjustments to perfect their form.

Competition Day Tactics

On the big day, competitors have a few tricks up their sleeves to give their bovine an edge and get the fastest lick times:

• Arrive early to settle nervous animals.
• Choose competition times when barometric pressure is low to inhibit excessive salivation which can slow licks.
• Hydrate cattle with an electrolyte solution and coat tongues with honey for smooth gliding.
• Play recordings of a rival cow mooing to stimulate the competitive spirit.
• Secretly sprinkle MSG powder or crushed Doritos on the lickblock to spur faster licking.

At the highest levels of livestock licking, competitors gain every fraction of a second. But most say that bonding with and understanding their bovine athlete is the most vital tip of all.

Fun Variations and Regional Differences

Pie Eating Pigs

Pig pie eating contests are a beloved tradition at many county fairs across the Midwest and South. Contestants are given a hearty meat pie or fruit pie and must consume it as quickly as possible without using their hands.

This messy event is a true test of a pig’s pie demolishing abilities and always draws big crowds of cheering fans. Some variations include pie eating relays where teams of pigs race to finish first. The Blue Ribbon Pie Eaters of Iowa are considered the professionals of the circuit, able to inhale a pie in under a minute.

Goat Milk Chugging

Goat milk chugging competitions have become hugely popular events, especially in Western states like California, Oregon, and Washington where dairy goat farming thrives. Contestants line up with tall chilled glasses of fresh goat milk and race to drink it down first without spilling a drop.

Top chuggers can gulp a 32 oz glass in under 15 seconds! Purists insist that only milk from Alpine, Nubian, or Saanen dairy goats be used for official contests. The West Coast Goat Milk Chugging Association sanctions competitions throughout the region and their championships in the Napa Valley draw competitors from across the country.

Geographic Hot Spots

Certain states and regions have become hubs for specialized livestock licking competitions according to local traditions and agriculture. For example:

• Wisconsin – Cheese curd licking contests capitalize on the state’s booming cheese industry. Contestants race to lick up a pound of fresh, squeaky cheese curds as quickly as possible.
• Texas – Longhorn bulls compete in 55 gallon barrel licking challenges to see who can completely lick clean a barrel of barbecue sauce the fastest. It’s a messy event!
• Hawaii – Pineapple licking relays are a favorite at the annual Hawaii State Fair. Teams of cows see who can lick the most pineapple chunks off a tray in the time allotted.

Other popular regional contests include maple syrup licking in Vermont, peach pit spitting for chickens in Georgia, and blueberry bobbing for pigs in Maine. The diversity of competitions across the country highlights regional pride in local agriculture.

With increasingly creative and outrageous contest ideas each year, livestock licking competitions remain a cherished rural American tradition.

Controversies and Concerns Around the Events

Animal Welfare Criticisms

Livestock licking contests have faced increasing scrutiny from animal welfare advocates in recent years. Critics argue that the events, which typically involve cows or pigs licking things like melons or candy bars to win prizes, amount to exploitation of the animals for entertainment purposes.

Specific concerns raised include:

• The unnatural foods and environment causes unneeded stress for farm animals unaccustomed to such sights and flavors
• Overfeeding/obesity from animals gorging on sweets in order to win
• Inhumane handling and transportation required to bring the livestock to festivals and fairs hosting contests
• Health issues arising from ingesting unhealthy foods

In light of these worries, some contests have been cancelled, and others now instead use inanimate objects like watermelons for the licking competitions to avoid animal welfare troubles.

Declining Popularity

In addition to ethical concerns, licking contests appear to be declining in popularity compared to their heyday in the early 2000s. One survey by the Livestock Licking Contests Council (LLCC) found just 52 contests were held nationally in 2023, down almost 30% from 73 contests in 2015.

Reasons cited for this decreased popularity include evolving cultural sensitivities about animal-based entertainment, decreased state fair attendance in general, and growing perceptions of contests as outdated.

As concerns stack up, the days when livestock licking contests drew big crowds appear to be waning. With criticisms mounting and interest declining, the competitions seem to be licking their last chops.

Conclusion

While livestock licking contests may seem silly on the surface, they have a long agricultural tradition tied to rural community events. The competitions celebrate the strong feeding drive of livestock like cows, pigs, and goats while entertaining local fair-goers.

So next time you hear about a competitive cow feed, pig dash, or chugging goat challenge, understand there is some deeper history behind these quirky contests. Appreciating different rural traditions can help bring us together versus divide us in today’s complex world.