4-H BEEF
GENERAL
1. A 4-H member must be enrolled in the 4honline system to enroll in the beef project.
2. A 4-H Beef member should attend at least 6 club meetings, and MUST turn in completed records at check in to complete the project.
3. All beef animals must be enrolled online.
4. All steers, crossbred heifers and market heifers must be ear tagged with approved 4-H ear tags. Lost ear tags should be reported to the Extension Office as soon as possible. Purebred heifers with registration papers must have entries in by May 15th
5. All cattle coming to weigh in must be haltered.
6. There will be a beef committee that checks for breed characteristics at the March weigh in.
7. No on farm ear tagging.
8. ALL cattle must be in the possession of the 4-H member by the official county weigh in.
9. No steer, cross bred heifer, or market heifer will be permitted to show at the county fair if the animal was not brought to weigh in.
10. ALL animals must be substantially tied in stalls with neck rope and halter.
11. There is a special designated area for walking (exercise) of animals.
12. NO false hair or false tail switches will be allowed, and no placing of any hair on animal other than natural hair in original place.
13. Coloring agents may not be allowed to change the general appearance of an animal.
14. Pumping, drenching and artificial filling are prohibited.
15. All Registered Cattle (heifers & Steers) must meet the Indiana State Fair Registration Certificate and enrollment requirements. Registration certificates shall be on hand at the county fair and presented upon the request of the Beef Committee.
16. All beef animals are subject to ID verification at any time at the discretion of the Beef Committee.
STEERS AND MARKET HEIFERS
1. Steers and Market Heifers shown at the Jay County 4-H Fair must be ear tagged with 4-H ear tags. 4-H tags are necessary to exhibit at the State Fair. Retinal Scanning and ear tagging will be done at March weigh in.
2. Market Heifers will be shown my weight.
3. All beef steers will be shown by breed/weight.
- The weight classes and breed shows will be established by the Superintendent based on animals exhibited.
- Steers may be of any age but must have milk teeth in place at time of fair. It is recommended that the animal be born after Jan. 1 of preceding year of show.
BREEDING HEIFERS
1. Breeding heifer age groups – see state enrollment listing for current age groups.
2. Heifers without registration must be ear tagged when steers are tagged.
COW CALF
1. Cow must have been previously enrolled and shown as a heifer by the same exhibitor or sibling.
2. The cow and calf, if born, must be identified by spring weigh in.
3. The calf must be the genetic offspring of the dam. NO embryo transfer. Must be born in the current year.
4. The cow and calf must be shown on leads.
5. The Champion Cow/Calf pair are eligible for the Grand Champion Female drive.
6. The calf is eligible to show in the feeder calf show if all other requirements are met.
7. The cow/calf may be brought into the fair the day of the beef show and taken home following the show.
RATE OF GAIN
Only market animals that were weighed at the official county weigh in are eligible for rate of gain. The market animals that were weighed in will be weighed again at the county fair. The calves that gained the most during that period of time will receive champion and reserve champion rate of gain honors.(lbs. gained/days between official weighing).
SHOWMANSHIP
Junior: 4-Hers in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades are eligible. Once a 4-Her has won Junior showmanship they are only eligible for intermediate, senior or advanced showmanship.
Intermediate: 4-Hers in 6th, 7th and 8th grades are eligible. Once a 4-Her has won intermediate showmanship they are only eligible for senior or advanced showmanship.
Senior: 4-Hers in 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades are eligible. Once a 4-Her has won senior showmanship they are only eligible for advanced showmanship.
Advanced: 4-Hers who have previously won senior showmanship. The advanced showmanship winner will represent Beef in the Supreme Showmanship contest.
BEEF FEEDER CALF
1. A member should follow the Beef General guidelines.
2. Members are encouraged to bring your animal back the following year as a Beef project.
3. ALL feeder calves must be ear tagged at spring weigh in. Calves can NOT weigh more than 400 pounds at May weigh in.
4. Animals must be owned by the 4-H member and feed records started no later than May weigh in.
5. ALL calves must be castrated and dehorned by the 4-H fair. NO ruptured calves may be shown.
6. A member may exhibit and show no more than two (2) calves.
7. The feeder calf project will be judged as a market animal.
8. The feeder calf show will be at the beginning of the Beef show.
9. Classes will be set up by the superintendent according to weight and number of calves entered.
10. A Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion will be selected from the class winners.
11. Showmanship classes will be inclusive with the Beef Show
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