PROGRESS: No two cows, or people, are the same

Growing up among cattle, sheep and other livestock in far southern Minnesota, Craig Mittag developed an eye for animals at an early age — and a feel for the show ring that would shape much of his life.

As a student in Glenville, Mittag and his brother, Clarke, were fixtures on their high school FFA chapter’s livestock judging team, qualifying for the state contest year after year. Mittag made the trip all four years of his high school career. Along the way, he also tested himself against top competition at the Iowa Beef Expo, where he once finished as the event’s high-point individual champion.

“That really sparks you that ‘I can actually do this,’” Mittag said.

That early success carried him to the University of Minnesota, where he continued judging livestock at the collegiate level. While still in college, he stepped into the ring in a new role, judging a Minnesota county fair — an experience that turned into a lifelong pursuit.

“I’m 62 now, was probably 20 then, and I’ve been doing it ever since,” he said.

Since the days when he was an exhibitor waiting for a judge’s decision, Mittag has made it a priority to approach the role with both purpose and perspective. The job, he said, is not just to rank animals, but to recognize the work behind them — especially for young exhibitors.

For more than 20 years, Mittag has worked for Creston Publishing Co., where he now serves as general manager. Outside the office, he remains just as invested in the livestock world, often encouraging and mentoring younger judges finding their footing.

“The real goal when you go to, say, a county fair, is you want to help these kids with their project,” Mittag said. “Let’s be honest, it’s really fun, too. It’s the interaction. I heard a judge one time say that the things I really enjoy doing are working with young people and working with livestock. When I can work with young people and livestock at these shows, it makes the perfect day for me. That sums it up for me, too.”

While cattle are his primary focus, Mittag has evaluated other species, including sheep, and occasionally swine and goats. Regardless of the animal, he said judging is far from an exact science.

“Let’s admit, it’s a lot of personal preference,” he said.

He recalls one show in Afton where four judges worked over two days — and produced four different perspectives.

“You think these four guys are all experts in their field and they all will agree,” Mittag said. “The heifers were a great example that day — out of the four judges who each picked a top five, there were 11 different heifers picked top five those two days. That says a lot about the quality that’s there and that it’s not an exact science.”

At home in rural Adams County, Mittag and his son, Tucker, maintain separate cow herds with a shared goal: raising high-quality show steers. Each September, they host an online sale that reaches buyers across the country — one year shipping cattle to more than 16 states.

That hands-on experience inevitably shapes how Mittag evaluates animals in the ring.

“We’re looking for, when we’re picking females, the one who is going to go out and raise the next champion steer,” he said. “The next guy’s background, if his goal is to raise purebred Angus and Herefords, he’s looking at it more on the female and bull side. Those goals at home are a little bit different.”

For judges, having a clear vision is essential. Without it, Mittag said, even the best classes can become overwhelming.

“There were so many good ones there that if you didn’t come in knowing what kind of cattle you like, man, you’d be lost,” he said. “A lot of that is our experience at home. It ends up being what works for you. If every judge agreed on the same type and kind of cattle, we’d have one show a year — you’d pick the best ones and you’re done. But everyone looks for a different type and kind, and that’s what makes it so much fun.”

Unlike some other animal competitions, livestock judges are also expected to explain their decisions — a responsibility Mittag takes seriously. Whether balancing traits like muscle and structure or weighing current industry trends, the goal is to provide clear, constructive feedback.

“That’s the really fun part, because you can go to a show and the judge can give his reasons for why he did what he did, and you come away from it and say, ‘What the heck did he just say?’” Mittag said. “When I go to a show, I want to know why, and that’s how you can improve. You try to give as descriptive of reasons as possible so that the exhibitor can improve their animal down the road and they know why you chose that one over that one.”

Even with a plan in mind, judging remains fluid. An animal that impressed in its class may stand differently when brought back for a championship drive, where multiple breeds and styles compete side by side.

“You have a general idea what your top five are going to be — how they hit you in class and that kind of stuff — but there will be one or two that will come back out that will strike you differently when you compare them to others,” Mittag said. “Especially on the heifer side, you can get 15 or 20 different breeds out there and it’s jam-packed. Different breeds have different purposes, and you have to go with your ideal.”

In his view, the industry is in a strong place today.

“We’re picking cattle right now that are so sound, so functional — they’ve got enough body, they’ve got enough muscle,” Mittag said. “Where do we improve from here? It’s hard to say, but we’re picking some darn good cattle nowadays.”

No matter the species, the heart of the work remains the same: supporting the people behind the animals.

“If you can help some kid with his project or make them feel good, I try to be pretty positive,” he said. “This kid has worked blood, sweat and tears to get things ready, and the last thing he needs, if he’s getting beat in classes, is to get run down by the judge. You try to point out good things and then explain the differences between the ones you picked and his.”

Mittag’s professional life has long paralleled his time in the ring. He began working in agricultural media while still in college with the Simmental Shield magazine, first as a reporter before moving into sales. He later spent 15 years with Iowa Farmer Today before joining Creston Publishing in 2002 as an advertising sales representative.

Whether he’s ringside, in the newsroom or out in the community, Mittag said it’s the connections he values most.

“My current position allows me numerous opportunities not only at the newspaper but throughout the community. I very much enjoy people, and this job allows me to do that,” he said. “There are never two days that are the same.”