4-H, FFA Market Beef weigh in coming soon

KALONA — 4-H & FFA beef project members are reminded of the Market Beef Weigh-In to be held Saturday, Dec. 14, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Kalona Sale Barn.

Ten calves may be weighed in for the county fair or state fair exhibition. A maximum of three market beef can be exhibited at the county fair and a maximum of two market beef can be exhibited at the state fair.

Washington County Fair Market Beef classes include purebred steers, crossbred steers, produce steers (produce of heifer or cow project in a previous year project), returning bucket bottle market heifer or steer, market heifer, dairy steer, small breeds steer, and single source steer (hosted by Washington County Cattlemen and down payment required by deadline.) The county fair breed classes offered will be those recognized by the Iowa Junior Beef Breeds Association. Current rules state there must be three in a breed to have its own class. Breeds with less than three entries will compete in the All-Other Breeds Class.

Any bucket-bottle calf project shown the previous fair (2024) and weighed in for the upcoming fair (2025) is eligible to be entered in one of the following: Returning Bucket Bottle Market Classes, Market Beef classes or the Dairy Steer class for the 2024 County Fair.

To prepare ahead of time, 4-H families should look over the December Beef 4-H Newsletter. Families bring the pre-scale form completed to weigh-in. Costs: $5 per ear tag for all beef. Retinal scanning will be done for those nominating for the State Fair with an $10 per head fee. Bring money to pay all fees on Dec. 14.

Breeding Heifers do not need to be weighed at the December weigh-in. If families haven’t decided between market heifer or breeding heifer, the calves should attend the market beef weigh-in but make sure they include a secondary ID in 4-HOnline which is a requirement for breeding heifers (tattoo, registration #, or calfhood vaccination #).

For purebred market steers showing at the County Fair ONLY exhibitors are not required to register steers with the breed association to show in a purebred class. If not registered with the association, an affidavit should be obtained from the Extension Office and signed by the producer verifying that animal could be registered. Any breed recognize under the Iowa Junior Beef Breeds Association will be recognized.

After market beef weigh-in, families are required to enter weigh-in data into 4hOnline by January 31. All bovine animals must have an official USDA 840 tag. State Fair market beef must have approved Iowa 4-H or Official USDA 840 tag, weight collected at county weigh-ins, and have retinal images collected before Jan. 31.

Contact the Washington County Extension Office as soon as possible if families will be attending from a neighboring county 4-H program or if families must attend another weigh-in location due to scheduling conflicts. Pre-approval is necessary.

For more information about 4-H or the Market Beef project or weigh-in, contact the Washington County Extension Office, 319-653-4811.