Day Show Cattle – Meadow, Texas

Nestled in Meadow, Texas, Day Show Cattle has been raising high-quality cattle and crops, including cotton, corn, peanuts, wheat, and hay, since 1979. Spanning 30,000 acres and running 700 cattle, the cow/calf operation located southwest of Lubbock specializes in show steers, mostly Hereford, marketed through live auctions, online sales, and private treaty agreements. The family also raises their own commercial recipient cows for embryo transfer—an investment in the future of their herd and the industry.

This year, the Days spoke with us in the middle of one of the busiest times of year—calving season—when 100 new calves made their way onto the ranch.

“It’s a 24/7 commitment,” says Katie Jo Day. “When you are responsible for other lives, the freedom to leave on a whim just isn’t an option. But the opportunity to make a difference presents itself every day—and that’s what motivates us to get up before the sun and keep grinding after it sets.”

Standing Out in Genetics, the Show Ring and the Community

Day Show Cattle’s program is built on generations of quality genetics that produces champions in the show ring.;

“We’re always looking for ways to improve our program, not just for the banners but for the consistency and quality of the cattle we raise,” Katie Jo notes.

They also foster connections within a larger community. In 2024, Day Show Cattle hosted a “Pasture to Plate” tour as part of the Texas Beef Team’s educational initiative—an immersive event where beef advocates toured their ranch, learned about cattle care and day-to-day operations, participated in a chuckwagon dinner, and connected with the heart and heritage of West Texas cattle ranching.

“It’s one thing to tell someone about ranch life,” Katie Jo says. “But when you can show them—from ground-prep to grain, from calving pens to chuck-wagon night—it creates understanding that lasts.”

Multigenerational Work, Rewards and Memories

Rusty and Katie Jo, now married 20 years, first met on the youth livestock circuit. Today they work side by side and have also partnered to raise sons Ryder (18) and Riggin (15), the fifth generation in agriculture for the Day family. Both boys have been in the saddle since they could sit up straight, and they learned to handle a tractor almost as soon as they could reach the pedals.

“We don’t just use our youth to raise livestock, we use the livestock to raise our youth,” explains Katie Jo. “We rely on our boys and enjoy their input on management decisions. Watching them develop into passionate production agriculturalists has been a dream come true.”

Rusty’s parents, Ricky and Cindy, have been an ongoing source of ranch and life guidance and still keep the ball rolling year-round on the cow/calf operation. “Ricky is always telling us, “I’ve already made that mistake, don’t make the same ones I did, go find you new ones.”

The Day’s appreciate their ranching lifestyle for the family memories it creates. This past summer brought a moment the family will never forget. When a cow carrying twins suffered a severe toxic reaction to a weed, 15-year-old Riggin stepped in to perform his first-ever C-section. He delivered both calves alive—a rare and high-pressure success story for any rancher, let alone one in his teens. The twin calves went on to thrive, a living reminder of the skill, calm, and teamwork that define life on the ranch.

 Living the Motto

The Day Show Cattle motto—WORK HARD WIN BIG—is more than a slogan.

The nature of ranch life means events, vacations, and even meetings take a backseat to the needs of the cattle. Yet, they still have gratitude for the grind.

“If spontaneity is your priority, ranching can’t be,” Katie Jo says with a laugh. “But for us, there’s nothing better than being stewards of the land and managers of the livestock. The satisfaction of producing crops and growing cattle is engrained—it’s generational and inherited.”

“Nothing comes easy, and if it does, the satisfaction is watered down,” Katie Jo says. “The real trophies aren’t just the buckles or banners—they’re the lessons, friendships, mentors, and experiences we gather along the way.”

With grit, dedication, and a commitment to stewardship, the Day family continues to raise not only exceptional cattle, but also the next generation of agricultural leaders.