Updated 2018-2019

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Please review this quick reference along with your fair book guidelines. Making sure you AND your parents understand what is expected in your project. This will make your 4-H year a lot more fun!

  • December 31 is the deadline to reenroll in 4-H in Ravalli County. When enrolling in a Beef Project you must sign up on your enrollment card in Beef Level 1, 2, or 3 as well as the Market Beef or Beef Breeding. Bred Beef Heifer for sale or Beef Independent Study January weigh in for Market Steers is MANDATORY. If your market steer is not weighed at this time it will not be considered a 4-H Market Beef Project that can be entered in the Ravalli County Fair.  The age of the animal will be determined January 1 of the current year.
  • Family or Companion Steer Project, see following guidelines.
  • May 1 is the drop/add deadline for all 4-H projects.
  • Animal Quality Assurance Training is MANDATORY for 4-H members who have a Beef Project. Members must become quality assurance certified once between the ages of 9-13 and once again between the ages of 14 – 20.  
  • Project requirements in regard to the level enrolled: you must complete a minimum of 7 activities and three learning experiences each to complete the project for the year.  Please refer to the Clover, Montana 4-H Projects.  

Bred Beef Heifer Projects

(See following guidelines if selling a Bred heifer at the Ravalli County Fair)

  • Bred Beef Heifers that will be for sale are required to weigh in with the Market Steers at the January weigh–in.
  • Breeding Stock must be owned by May 1 of the current year.
  • Please make sure you visit with your Club Beef Leader about the required documents and guidelines for this project.  You need to do this in January, not July!

Other important things to remember:

  • Fair entry forms are due by the first Friday in August.
  • Mandatory Meeting for all Beef on Monday of fair week at the Beef Barn at 6:30PM. Bring appropriate tools (shovels, rakes, wheelbarrow, etc) to ready the barn for fair.
  • Beef Weigh-in at the Fair is Tuesday of fair week from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm.
  • There will be Market Beef & Breeding Beef Interviews on Friday of fair week at 10 a.m. in the Beef Barn.
  • If a member is showing more than one species of market animal, he or she must let the Barn Superintendents know which animal they will be selling immediately after the market beef show.   
  • Dress code: Clean, collared, long tailed shirt tucked into dark pants or jeans, and dark boots or leather footwear (no tennis shoes, rubber boots or sandals) must be worn by livestock exhibitors during livestock events. Official dress is mandatory for FFA members. Western style or cowboy hats will be allowed.
  • MANDATORYDRESS for all Showmanship classes: White long-tailed shirts with collar, buttoned up and tucked into black or dark blue pants; dark footwear (no tennis shoes, rubber boots or sandals). FFA official dress is mandatory. Hats are not allowed in dairy, sheep, swine, goats, and dogs.

FAMILY OR COMPANION STEER PROJECT GUIDELINES RAVALLI COUNTY

  1. Total of two (2) Steers, have to be WEIGHED IN AT THE SAME TIME AS EVERYONE ELSE.  
  2. One Family (of 2 or more children) can share (1) extra Steer but All Children must follow ALL stipulations stated below.     
Stipulations:  
  1. Both steers cannot be sold at the 4-H livestock sale. One will be taken to the fair and sold at the fair.
  2. The other Steer has to be Sold 30 DAYS BEFORE OR AFTER THE 4-H Livestock Sale. (As to not put more of a strain on our buyers, but still make it possible to have a carcass evaluation.) If members are interested in the evaluation they are responsible for the evaluation of the Steer that does not go through the 4-H Livestock sale.
  3. Complete records for both steers will need to be kept and turned into the Org-Leader to have fair entries signed.  
  4. Each member will prepare a comparison sheet showing how each animal grew. This sheet is to be put in their record books and will be looked at during interviews.
  5. The Choice has to be made “BEFORE” the day the member weighs in at the fair as only ONE steer will be weighed and sold at the Fair.

4-H and FFA Bred Beef Heifer Project Guidelines Ravalli County

Purpose of Project

  1. For 4-H and FFA members to learn about beef, the beef market, the selection and breeding of beef cattle and to create a more successful cow/calf operation.
  2. To promote a beef heifer project that will provide a learning experience for the member in animal selection, the care and raising of the animal, animal health, reproduction and marketing economics.
  3. To sell a bred heifer weaned in Fall 2017, that is weighed-in at the January 2018 Beef Weigh-in, bred in Spring 2018, sold at the Ravalli County Fair 2018, to calve in Spring 2019. Recommended breeding and calving dates are outlined in Guidelines #1

Example Beef Gestation Dates---285 days

Bred

Calf

May 10

February 18

May 20

February 28

June 1

March 12

June 15

March 26

June 30

April 10

Guidelines for Project

  1. It is strongly recommended heifers be bred by Artificial Insemination (AI). However, if Natural Service is used, the bull must be registered, have the appropriate information and EPD’s available. Members must plan to breed from May 10 to June 30, 2018 and plan to have heifers calve between January 15 to April 10, 2019.
  2. Member will need to be able to discuss the sire and why their selected the animal, EPD’s and what they mean and related important points.
  3. Bred heifers must be weighed in and tattooed at the market beef official weigh-in, January 2018.
  4. Bred heifers do not have to be registered.
  5. Large Animal Quality Assurance is required for this project.
  6. Heifer must be polled or dehorned.
  7. Spring calving heifers only.

Fair Requirements

  1. Members will need to make a breeding and health folder for the sale buyer at the Ravalli County Fair which list type and date of vaccinations, breeding information, documenting breeding attempts and sire selected. Must have documentation of Brucellosis Vaccination (Bangs) by fair weigh-in.
  2. Resale/ Support Animal Purchase Bid Price Agreements for the Beef Heifer will be turned in to the 4-H Livestock Administrator prior to the beginning of the Livestock Sale at Ravalli County Fair 2018. Bid sheets will be hung at the beginning of fair week for support buyers. Member is ultimately responsible for finding a support buyer.
  3. Bred Heifer must be entered in the appropriate class at the Ravalli County Fair. Heifer must receive a red or blue ribbon to be eligible to participate in the Fair Sale.
  4. Bred Heifer will be checked at the fair for verification of pregnancy.

 

MSU/Ravalli County Extension

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and Montana State University Extension prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status. Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cody Stone, Director of Extension, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717.

The following is a copy of the 2019 Ravalli County Fair Book for the Beef Projects

Department 40

4-H & FFA Beef

Co-Superintendents

Lee Severson • 523-9489

Bill Bennett • 240-4782

Animals to be brought in Tuesday of Fair week from 11 am to 8 pm

MANDATORY MEETING FOR ALL BEEF WILL BE HELD MONDAY OF FAIR WEEK AT 6:30 pm

Come prepared to Build the Bedding and Get the Barn Ready! This meeting will be very educational.

  • Senior Showmanship - Age 14 and over
  • Intermediate Showmanship - Age 12 & 13
  • Junior Showmanship - Age 8-11
  • Novice Showmanship - 1st year beef member, regardless of age

Mandatory Market Beef and Companion Steer Interviews and Beef Breeding Interviews - Friday of Fair week at 10am.    Schedule posted in the Beef Barn.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

  • See General 4-H, FFA, and Livestock rules for more information.
  • The Barn Superintendent, prior to the Fair will make beef stall assignments.
  • All entries in the Beef Barn will be horn-free.
  • Superintendents will request unruly, dangerous animals to be disqualified or removed from the Fairgrounds.
  • The Management requests that Livestock Exhibitors refrain from leading their animals out to water from 10 am to 5 pm. Water may be carried to the animals during those hours.
  • The Superintendents will screen all market beef and feeder exhibits for proper lot entry, prior to judging, including condition and weight.
  • January 1 of the current year will be used to determine age classification of animal. Cow efficiency age will be actual age of animal.
  • All beef animals are required to have a halter and neck rope on at all times.
  • Market and feeder stock will be limited to steers, beef breeds, or crossbreeds.
  • Late or improperly castrated steers will not be allowed to show.
  1. Market beef must be weighed, tattooed and tagged at the beginning of the year by the 4-H Livestock Committee.
  2. Market beef will be weighed and grouped in weight divisions for judging.
  3. Exhibitors having showed a market beef and a bred beef heifer must tell the Beef Superintendents immediately after the Market Beef Show which animal is to be placed in the sale order.
  1. In order to exhibit breeding beef, the Exhibitor must be enrolled in the 4-H/FFA beef breeding project.
  2. Bulls do not have to be home raised by the Exhibitor or registered.
  3. Cow Efficiency Contest is open to 4-H and FFA beef cow with calf. Exhibitors enter by weighing in the cow and calf on entry day and providing the Superintendent with the cow’s age, breed of cow and calf and calf birth date. Calves must be born between January 1 and April 30 of current year. The basis for placing in this contest is the calf which is the highest percent of its dam weight, will be considered the winner of all the pairs of animals. The calf’s weight will be adjusted to the 205 day adjusted weaning weight used by the Montana Beef Performance Association.
  4. Bred Beef Heifers for sale: Exhibitors must follow all project guidelines and must provide the Superintendents with a health folder when the heifer first enters the barn on entry day. Project guidelines and information for health folders are listed in the 4-H handbook.
  5. Bred Heifer must be entered in the appropriate class at the Ravalli County Fair. Heifer must receive a red or blue ribbon to be eligible to participate in the Fair Sale.
  6. MANDATORY Market Beef Interview and Companion Steer Interviews. All members enrolled in market class must provide current records, comparison sheets, and be properly dressed.
  7. Market Steers may be released 7:00 pm, Saturday of Fair Week. All other livestock to be released Sunday of Fair Week. Enter and Exit through North Gate only.

Premiums: $3.00; $2.00; $1.00

Class

  1. Showmanship - Lots 1-4 Only
  2. Market Beef - Lot 5 Only
  3. Angus
  4. Gelbvieh
  5. Charlois
  6. Chianina
  7. Dexter
  8. Hereford
  9. Maine-Anjou
  10. Red Angus
  11. Simmental
  12. Crossbreed
  13. Miniature Beef
  14. Other
  15. Bred Heifer for Sale
  16. Interviews - Lots 6 & 13
Lot No.
  1. Novice Showmanship - 1st year beef member, regardless of age.
  2. Showmanship - 8-11 yrs.
  3. Intermediate Showmanship - 12-13 yrs.
  4. Showmanship - 14 yrs. & over
  5. Market Steers - minimum weight, 950 lbs. (must also enter Lot # 6)
  6. MANDATORY Market Beef Interview and Companion Steer Interviews. (All Exhibitors of market steers must enter)
Breeding Lots
  1. Bull - under 1 yr.
  2. Bull - over 1 and under 2 yrs.
  3. Female - under 1 yr.
  4. Female - over 1 and under 2 yrs.
  5. Cow with calf at side
  6. Bred Heifer for Sale
  7. Breeding Project/Bred Beef Heifer Interview and Display Make a wall display, usually one or two 14” x 22” posters depicting some part of the project. Interviews will take place at the Exhibitor’s stall.
  8. Educational Poster must be made during the current 4-H year by the Exhibitor entering this lot.

Champion Bull - Each Class Rosette

Reserve Champion Bull - Each Class Rosette

Champion Female - Each Class Rosette

Reserve Champion Female - Each Class Rosette

GRAND CHAMPION BULL - ROSETTE

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION BULL - ROSETTE

GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE - ROSETTE

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE - ROSETTE

GRAND CHAMPION MARKET STEER - ROSETTE

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION MARKET STEER – ROSETTE