4-H & FFA Market Beef Weigh-In at Kalona Sale Barn Dec. 9

4-H & FFA beef project members are reminded of the Market Beef Weigh-In to be held Saturday, Dec. 9, 8-10:30 a.m. at the Kalona Sale Barn. Listen to KCII (106.1) for cancellation notice if weather is bad.

Ten calves may be weighed in for the county fair and out-of-county events. 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 and 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. 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 (2023) and weighed in for the upcoming fair (2024) 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.

Breeding Heifers do not need to be weighed at the December weigh-in.

For purebred calves 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 provided by the Extension Office must be signed by the producer verifying that animal could be registered. Any breed recognize under the Iowa Junior Beef Breeds Association will be recognized. These affidavits were included in the Nov. 4-H Beef Newsletter.

All animals must have approved Iowa 4-H or Official USDA 840 tag and entered in 4-HOnline by Feb. 1,

Purebred animals must select a breed in 4-HOnline by Feb. 1,

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 February 1.

If families aren’t sure if they will show a market heifer or breeding heifer, make sure they include a secondary ID in 4-HOnline (tattoo, registration #, or calfhood vaccination #).

If the above information is not provided by Jan. 31, calves will be considered crossbred.

Costs: $3 per ear tag for all beef. Retinal scanning will be done for those nominating for the State Fair with an $8 per head fee. Bring money to pay all fees on December 9.

Revalar G implant (120-day implant) will be available upon request for $2 each. This is an optional service to families.

To prepare ahead of time, 4-H families can look over the November Beef 4-H Newsletter. Families will want to have the pre-scale form printed and prepared for weigh-in.

Please 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. Preapproval is necessary.

For more information about 4-H or the Market Beef project or weigh-in, please contact the Washington County Extension Office, 319-653-4811. Volunteers are always welcome, contact the Extension Office for details.