‘Finished’ Dairy Beef Steer project, new for 2024!
Fairfield County 4-H and FFA youth now have an additional opportunity to raise and market a meat animal project for the 2024 Fair in the form of the ‘finished’ Dairy Beef Steer project. Dairy Beef Steers must be owned and in the possession of the youth by weigh-in on March 9, 2024, and weigh a minimum of 1100 pounds at weigh-in at the Fair on Saturday, October 5. Each youth entering and showing an eligible finished Dairy Beef Steer will earn one sale slot in the 2024 Junior Fair Livestock Sale. Details for this project include:
- This contest is open to any Fairfield County 4-H or FFA members who have enrolled in a market beef animal project.
- Participation in the Dairy Beef Steer show does not affect eligibility for participation in the Dairy Beef Feeder show.
- All Dairy Beef Steers must be tagged/weighed-in during the second Saturday in March.
- In March an exhibitor may tag/weigh-in up to three dairy feeder steers for the Dairy Beef Steer show at the Fair in October.
- Each Finished Dairy Beef Steer will be issued one EID 840 tag. If the animal already has an EID 840 tag in place, this will be used as the official fair identification. If a dairy steer loses the ear tag, the exhibitor must report the lost tag to the Jr. Fair Director (Doug Shell) and the OSU Extension office immediately. Any dairy beef exhibitor who fails to report a lost ear tag will not be eligible to show at the fair.
- DNA on each steer will be collected/submitted at or prior to March weigh-in. Find more detail linked below.
- An exhibitor may exhibit either one or two steers at the Fair but only one animal will be eligible for the Jr Livestock Sale (highest placing animal).
- The animal not sold individually will be sold to the packer for packer bid. The only time the exhibitor can sell two live market animals individually is if they are selected for both a Grand and Reserve champion overall.
- Each steer weighed/tagged in March will be entered in a Rate of Gain Contest.
- All market animals are subject to a DNA sample at the fair to verify proper ownership.
- A market steer must weigh at least 1,100 pounds to show for champion and sell individually. There is no maximum weight limit. There will be no re-weighs.
- Underweight market animals will be shown in their own class and may also be used in showmanship. Underweight animals will be offered a packer bid or may go home regardless of if a “Market Animal Take Home” form was completed prior to weigh-in. If not being used for showmanship and not being sold for a packer bid the animal may go home immediately.
- No bulls.
- No horned market beef animals.
- All market beef animals must be free of warts.
- Steers showing evidence of testicular tissue are not eligible to be shown or sold.
- Any animal that cannot be controlled (goes wild) must be removed from the fairgrounds.
- Owners of animals that cannot be controlled will be held responsible for any loss or damage to property or persons.
Complete details on weighing/tagging and DNA submission for Dairy Beef Steers on the second Saturday in March may be found linked here.