Interest and participation in the Jr. Market Beef Show in Fairfield County continues to grow! Equaling the largest number of youth to tag in a market steer or market heifer in 15 years, 68 youth brought their market beef show prospects to weigh-in at Fairfield Cattle Company on Saturday, March 13th. This represents a 50+% increase over the 43 youth that weighed-in animals just three years ago. 
In summary, sixty eight (68) 4-H and FFA members weighed in a total of 98 beef feeder calves as their projects in preparation for the 2021 Fairfield County Fair’s finished market beef junior show.
Of the 98 head tagged in on Saturday, 5 were market heifers and 49 were bred, born and raised (BBR) here in Fairfield County. The average weight of all calves was 744 pounds. These calves will be finished and returned to the Fair for exhibition on October 12, 2021 after being on feed for 210 days. 45 different families placed calves on feed for this year’s market beef show.
Participation in this beef project has grown steadily since 2014 when only 35 youth participated at the March weigh-in. Listed below is a breakdown of participants over the last seven years:
2021; 68 exhibitors tagged in 98 calves (49 were BBR, 5 were heifers)
2020; 59 exhibitors tagged in 84 calves (33 were BBR, 5 were heifers)
2019; 53 exhibitors tagged 77 calves (42 were BBR, 7 were heifers)
2018; 43 exhibitors tagged 62 calves (31 were BBR, 6 were heifers)
2017; 45 exhibitors tagged 65 calves (38 were BBR, 7 were heifers)
2016; 51 exhibitors tagged 70 calves (37 were BBR, 3 were heifers)
2015; 42 exhibitors tagged 62 calves (38 were BBR, 6 were heifers)
2014; 35 exhibitors, 50 calves (31 were BBR)