Beef Project

Exhibit may be a project, poster, an interactive demonstration or a combination.
Youth enrolled in the 4-H Beef project are to complete the lesson corresponding to his or her grade as of January 1 of the current year. The reference book is 4-H 117 R Beef Resource Handbook. It is to be used for the entire ten years of participation in the 4-H Beef project. A feed sheet is not required. The grade level lesson records need to be turned in prior to weigh in on the opening day of the 4-H fair. Members may exhibit at the county fair if their paperwork is complete and health rules are followed.
A Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) is NOT required for exhibition of Indiana cattle but is still required for out of state cattle.
All steers and heifers to be shown at the LaGrange County 4-H Fair must be identified, tagged, and weighed on the date designated by the 4-H Beef Committee. Cattle will be identified and tagged with a conventional five digit plastic ear tag as well as an electronic Radio Frequency Identification tag (RFID tag). Steers are to be enrolled on Indiana 4-H Online by April 1 and by May 15 for registered and commercial heifers regardless of whether they will be shown in the county or state fair.
For Indiana State Fair entry, 4-H members must enter the cattle 840-RFID tag number completely and correctly into Indiana 4-H Online and submit a DNA hair sample to the county Extension office by April 1. (May 15 for Registered and Commercial heifers.) DNA collection envelopes and instructions will be available at the county Extension office.
A per head charge for RFID tags inserted at initial weigh in may be levied. The fee is expected regardless of whether the cattle are ultimately shown.
While not required to be brought to the initial weigh in, breed registration documents must be submitted to the 4-H Beef superintendent at that time for registered heifers.
The rate of gain contest will begin with the weights obtained at the initial weigh in.
Confirmation identification of the Grand and Reserve Champions may be conducted after the beef show. A discrepancy may result in a disqualification of those cattle.
All beef exhibitors must bring feed and feed pans or boxes. Bedding will be provided for exhibitors for a nominal fee of $15 per head.
Ribbons will be awarded to all 4-H exhibitors.
All animals must be dehorned and healed by 4-H Fair.
Pens will be assigned by the superintendent. Members are expected to inform the Beef project superintendent of the number of calves they will be entering at the fair.
All exhibitors must follow health rules. Calves must be born after January 1 of the previous year. After the initial weigh-in, all steers and heifers must be cared for by the 4-H'ers family. The beef committee may make inspection visits whenever and as often as they feel is necessary. Any animals not continually under care of the 4-H'er may not be eligible for the LaGrange County 4-H show. Any exceptions must be approved by the beef committee.
A member may weigh and train as many calves as desired, and may show up to four steers or heifers in any combination.
Each member may sell up to 2 steers in the auction as long as they can remain under the auction limits. If a 4-H’er can’t sell a steer in the auction because of auction limits, the steer can be sold at the support price without going through the auction. The beef superintendent must be told of these plans prior to the auction.
The Beef Committee reserves the right to send any calf home that cannot be led and handled in the show ring.
Divisions/Classes
1. Breeds & divisions will be determined by the beef committee. There is a minimum of 2 head per breed. All breeds that do not have 2 or more animals will show as All Other Breeds or Crossbred.
The Beef Committee will screen all steers to be sure they qualify for the division they are entered. The Beef Committee will place the calf if any dispute arises. 4-H’ers may be required to furnish the beef committee with a registration certificate, or the name, address and phone number of the breeder or seller of an animal, to verify which division a calf is eligible for.
All steers will be weighed at 12:30 p.m. on the opening Saturday of the fair. Paperwork showing completion of 4-H project work will be required before calves cross the scale.
Calves will only be weighed one time. This will be their official weight. It is the member’s responsibility to ensure that his or her calves are brought to the weigh scale on time. Calves will be sent home that are not brought to the weigh scale when called.
No artificial filling of any cattle will be allowed. False switches and the use of artificial hair is prohibited. Only natural hair growing in original location will be permitted.
If a member needs someone else to show one of their calves, any other LaGrange County 4-H member may help. This must be verified with the superintendent.
A Champion and Reserve Champion steer will be picked in each division. These Champions will show for Grand Champion steer. The other division Champions and the Reserve Champion of the division containing the champion will be the only steers eligible for Reserve Grand Champion.
Classes in each division will be made by weight.
The 4-H Beef Committee will determine the sale order. Any steer selected as Grand Champion must sell in the county livestock sale. Any calf placing below the Grand Champion may be held out of the sale. Any calf that is offered for sale cannot be re-exhibited in any other 4-H Show.
Awards will be presented at the Livestock Banquet.

Breeding Heifers

All heifers must be enrolled at the initial Beef identification and weigh-in. Crossbred heifers must be tagged at the initial weigh in. Registration documents must be submitted to the 4-H Beef superintendent at the initial weigh-in for registered heifers. If registration paperwork is not available by the weigh in date then the animal(s) will be required for presentation at weigh in. Heifers (both registered and commercial) must also have DNA samples turned in to the county Extension office by May 15 for Indiana State Fair eligibility.
General beef and health rules apply to heifers.
Classes will be provided for all major beef breeds if there are enough heifers to warrant a class. If there are not enough animals for a breed class, those heifers will show in the crossbred class.
The Beef Committee will determine the classes.
All heifers must have been born after January 1 of the previous year.

Junior Beef Show

4-H Junior Beef class will be offered provided the Beef Committee determines that there are enough calves.
Provisions:
Interested 4-H exhibitors must sign up for this class by May 15th at the Extension office.
Calves must have been born after January 1st of the current year.
Calves must be castrated and dehorned to show.
Heifers and steers will be shown together.
Calves will not be sold in the 4-H auction.

Showmanship
First Year Showmanship is open to 4-H members in third or fourth grade.
Junior Showmanship (grades 4-8).
Senior Showmanship (9th grade and over).

Past junior winners will compete in Senior Showmanship.
Past winners and the current Senior Showman will compete in the Premier Showmanship Class.
Members may advance only one division each year.
Members must show their own animals.
Members must sign up for showmanship classes with the beef committee by 10 a.m. the day of the Beef Show.

Record sheets are not required, but supplementary materials.

Beef Grade 3 Record Sheet Beef Grade 4 Record Sheet

Beef Grade 5 Record Sheet Beef Grade 6 Record Sheet

Beef Grade 7 Record Sheet Beef Grade 8 Record Sheet

Beef Grade 9 Record Sheet Beef Grade 10 Record Sheet

Beef Grade 11 Record Sheet Beef Grade 12 Record Sheet