4-H Dairy Project

Superintendent
Emily Leas

Club
We do NOT have a 4-H Dairy Club.  We strongly encourage all 4-H members to be a part of a 4-H club.  If you need assistance in selecting a club - contact the Extension office.

Manual
Dairy Resource Manual.  Please keep this manual.  You will use it more than one year.

You must ID/enter your animal (s) online in this project.  

• Beef and Dairy Beef Steers must be entered into 4HOnline no later than April 1.
• Beef Heifers and Beef/Dairy Feeder Calves must be entered into 4HOnline no later than May 15.

Exhibit Options 

(May choose one or more)

• Show your animal(s) at the Blackford County 4-H Fair.  Age and Show Class Chart is available at the bottom of this page.
• Exhibit a notebook about your animal. 
• Exhibit a poster on a topic from your manual. 
• Action Display/Demonstration.

Health Requirements

New health requirements are published each year by the Indiana Department of Animal Health.

Identification

1. All cattle must have an 840-RFID tag and a county tag that they will receive at February weigh in.  The only dairy cattle that are required to attend weigh in are the steers wanting to be eligible for rate of gain.  All others, can be picked up at the Extension Office if you want to tag your own.  If you need assistance tagging, please contact the dairy barn superintendent.  
2. Market steers and commercial heifers MUST have a county 5-digit tag AND an 840-RFID tag. 
3. Registered heifers (only ISF breeds accepted) must have a tattoo and an 840-RFID tag.

Animal ID

• All Dairy Steers must have an 840-RFID tag and 5-digit county tag by April 1.  
• All Dairy Steers must be enrolled in 4honline by April 1.  
• Commercial Heifers must have an 840-RFID tag and 5-digit county tag.
• Registered Heifers must have an 840-RFID tag and tattoo.
• All Heifers must be enrolled in 4honline by May 15.

The website is:  https://in.4honline.com 

Rate of Gain

All dairy steers who want to be eligible for the rate of gain must come through weigh-in at February weigh-in.

Fair Entry

You must sign up for the classes that you want to show in by June 15 through the online FairEntry system.   

4-H Dairy Show Rules

1. Dairy Enrollment and possession deadlines are as follows:
2. January 1 Junior & Senior Yearling Steers
3. February 1 Junior & Senior Yearling Heifers; cows
4. May 15 Junior & Senior Calves (Heifer & Steers)
5. Steers will be inspected and tattooed or ear tagged by the 4-H dairy committee.
6. Cows in milk may be entered the day of the show.
7. All animals will show by breeds in purebred classes.  Grade animals by breed of sire.
8. No club member will be allowed to show more than two entries in one class.
9. Animals shown in the cow class must have been previously shown in the Blackford County Dairy by the respective club member.
10. There will be separate classes for registered and grade females of all recognized dairy breeds.
11. Dairy steers will be shown according to weight.  Starter/Feeder steers must weigh 750 pounds or less during check-in at the Blackford County 4-H Fair.  If 751-1200# they are intermediate.  Steers 1201 or more are Finished Steers.
12. Steers must be 100% dairy breed or dairy cross (no crossing with beef breeds).  All Steers must be de-horned prior to arrival to the fairground.  Steers with horns will not be allowed on the fairground or to show.
13. One steer per member is eligible for sale at the 4-H auction.
14. The dairy superintendent will divide the classes, determine and post the order of showing.
15. Showmanship will follow State Fair guidelines.
16. ALL livestock must be shown from its designated area as assigned by barn superintendent.  Dairy cannot be shown from a trailer or another location other than what was assigned. 
17. Fitting will be allowed in designated areas as assigned by the superintendent.
18. All steers to be sold at Auction must be consigned to the show ring clerk within 15 minutes after close of show.  If an animal is disqualified by the health check, the superintendent or a judge for health or any other reasons, that animal CANNOT be sold in the 4-H Livestock Auction.  See Auction rules in the General 4-H Rules for details.
19. All cattle, while on the fairgrounds and in the barns, are required to be secured with both a halter and a lead (necktie).
20. NO "Butt Fans" will be allowed.  All fans must point/blow pointing in the same direction to help the air flow thru the barns.  They are to point/blow SOUTH to NORTH.
21. Dairy cattle must be shown from designated area.  If you are not sure, check with your barn superintendent
22. Tie-outs will be allowed in designated locations approved by the Dairy Barn superintendent from 9:00 p.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Indiana State Fair

DAIRY STEERS EXHIBITING AT STATE FAIR MUST NOW PROVIDE DNA HAIR SAMPLES. DNA SAMPLE ENVELOPES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE EXTENSION OFFICE. 

The sealed collection envelopes with the information completed on the front of envelope should be turned into the County Extension Office at the same time as the animal ID deadline in Indiana 4H Online: April 1 for market steers and May 15 for registered heifers, commercial heifers and dairy feeder steers.

In Summary

• You must sign up for this project through 4honline.
• You must sign your animals up through 4honline (including 840-RFID and County Tag {if needed}) by May 15.
• You must sign up for classes by June 15.
• You must complete your record sheet and turn it into the Extension Office by June 15.
• You must complete all of the above to be eligible to show at the Blackford County 4-H Fair and/or the Indiana State Fair.