Apply to participate by January 12th
As it was announced in early November, in 2024 the Junior Fair Beef Performance and Carcass Quality contest entries – also known as BPCQ or the ‘carcass contest’ – will be harvested and evaluated hanging on the rail. Much like the other local county carcass-based program participants, youth in the BPCQ contest will now have the opportunity go into the meat cooler prior to Fair and see first hand the quality grade of their animal and learn how yield grade was evaluated.
In an effort to update the contest and base it on current day profitability factors, the details for scoring will also change in 2024. While still evaluating a combination of growth, performance and carcass characteristics, the final BPCQ contest rankings will be based on the carcass value gained per day from initial weigh-in until conclusion. To evaluate them in this fashion, calves entered in the contest will be assigned a value at the March weigh-in based on pre-determined commercial feeder calf values. At the conclusion of the contest in late September, the carcasses will be evaluated for quality and yield and valued based on a pre-determined beef carcass marketing grid. The difference between the beginning value of the calf and the final carcass value of the calf will be divided by the total number of days on feed resulting in a carcass value gained per day. Complete details of the pricing and valuing structure may be found in the rules linked below.
The basic rules of the contest will include:
- Beginning immediately and concluding on January 12, 2024 an on-line application/essay process for participant acceptance into the contest will be conducted similar to that of the goat, lamb and barrow MQP contests.
- Applications must include an essay not to exceed 300 words entitled, “Why I want to participate in a livestock project that’s focused on efficiently producing high quality beef that meets the consumer’s demand.” If applications exceed the capacity for entries in the contest the essays may be used to establish a priority ranking for acceptance into the 2024 BPCQ contest.
- Both steers and heifers are eligible to be entered.
- The BPCQ entry calf will come from one of the up to four calves exhibitors are eligible to tag/weigh in March.
- The entries will be harvested at Bay Packing on a date to be determined in late September or early October.
- Like the goat, lamb and barrow MQP contests, exhibitors will be responsible for marketing the freezer beef resulting from their entry.
- Carcasses will be evaluated by faculty, staff or students from the Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences.
- An opportunity for exhibitors to see their carcasses and ask questions regarding the carcass evaluation will be available at the conclusion of the contest.
- Like the live market beef show, all BPCQ entries are eligible for the Jr Fair Livestock Sale.
More detail including scoring details and valuing grids are linked here in PDF format and are also included in the 2024 Junior Fair Book. To be eligible to participate, follow this link to the on-line application by January 12, 2024: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0DjXQwgYGVt3Evs