Department 4B - Beef Cattle

Department 4B – Beef Cattle

1. General Rules & Regulations

1. Beef Cattle

   1. All purebreds must be registered with the respective breed associations.  Registration papers are required.

   2. 4-H commercial heifers must be tagged by 4-H educator.

   3. Each 4-H/FFA member may tag 3 animals, show 3 animals and sell 2 animals.

   4. As appropriate, animals must be dehorned and castrated 60 days prior to show time and completely healed before the show.  If any questions arise, a veterinarian will be consulted.

   5. All steers must be born on or after January 1 of the previous year.

   6. There will be no feeding or watering of the sale animals after 12:00 midnight on Wednesday, until after weigh-in on Thursday morning for the sale weight.  All animals must be shown to be eligible for sale.

   7. Animals must weigh a minimum of 1000 pounds and not exceed 1400 pounds to be shown. Animals on sale day must be sold at actual weight.

   8. Once a 4-H/FFA member wins a division showmanship championship, they must continue to compete in the overall championship, unless they are a junior or an intermediate junior, then the junior will show as an intermediate upon appropriate birthday and the intermediate junior will show as a senior upon appropriate birthday.  Overall champion will compete in the previous winner class and will not be eligible to compete for overall champion.

   9. There will be no nose leads permitted during the 4-H/FFA beef show.

   10. Champion and reserve champion steers must be sold at the market sale.

   11. Contestants are responsible for providing their own fitting chutes.

   12. The 4-H/FFA beef cattle show committee will determine the class status of any questionable animal whether it should be shown as a purebred or crossbred.  This decision will be made at the time the animal is tagged.  The exhibitor has the right to appeal the decision within 30 days.

   13. Breed classes will be determined at tag in.  There must be a minimum of 4 steers tagged to warrant a class.

   14. No adult assistance, other than one ring person who will assist the judge, will be allowed in the show ring during the show except for emergency situations.  Lesser experienced exhibitors may request the assistance of an older exhibitor during breed classes if pre-approved by the superintendent.  No assistance will be allowed during showmanship classes.  If the animal cannot be controlled by the exhibitor and assistant, it will be excused from the ring.  The judge will make the decision as to where the animal places based on his/her ability to judge the animal.

   15. The beef barn will close between 3:30 PM and 4:45 PM on the evening of the market steer show with entrance limited to 4-H/FFA exhibitors only.  4-H/FFA shows; showmanship, steers, and heifers; will by unfitted.  This means washed and blown out with NO additives of any kind; e.g., final bloom, zoom bloom, revive, adhesive, paint, etc.  This First year exhibitors may have the assistance of one immediate family member for fitting of their animals.  No other assistance will be allowed for exhibitors.  After 4:45 PM, the entrance will be expanded to include only beef exhibitors, their immediate families, and show personal until the conclusion of the show.

   16. Beef steers will be weighed for official show weight beginning at 7:00 AM on Sunday morning.  All animals will be weighed at that time.  No re-weights.

   17. Exhibitors have the option of tying their animals outside during the night, provided they are tied very securely to trailers.  Animals are not to be tied to wash racks, etc.  If tied out, animals must be out of the barn between 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM and must be back in the barn by 8:00 AM.
       
       

2. Texas Longhorns

   1. All steers must be registered with the International Texas Longhorn Association.  No steers with pending registration will be accepted into the show.

   2. Exhibitors and owners competing at the fair must be members of ITLA.

   3. While exhibiting Texas Longhorns in the show ring, exhibitors will wear attire appropriate to the climate.  No ball caps or tennis shoes and no written advertising on clothing.

   4. Exhibitors are expressly prohibited from altering the physical appearance or features of any Texas Longhorn, with the exception of the trimming of the prepuce hair of bulls.

   5. Exhibitors are encouraged to bathe and brush, but not clip, their Texas Longhorn and present them in a neat and professional manner.

   6. Any Texas Longhorn found by the show chairman to be physically altered will be placed lower in class as per the judge’s decision.

   7. No abrasive brushing at show sites.

   8. Judges will be chosen from the International Texas Longhorn Association list of approved judges.

   9. Exhibitors will be limited to two Texas Longhorns per class.

   10. Nose leads are permitted.

   11. 4-H/FFA members will show their project Texas Longhorn Steers in conjunction with the Open Class Show.
        vii)  All calves must be at least 180 days old at the time of the show.
       
       

3. Dairy Steers

   1. Dairy steers must be 100% dairy breed.

   2. Each 4-H/FFA member may tag 3 animals and 3 animals may be shown in a current year.

   3. All project animals must be tagged and weighed per notification of the 4-H office.

   4. Dairy steers may be carried as a project for 2 years but will terminate on September 1st of the second year.

   5. Animals must be dehorned and castrated 60 days prior to show time and be completely healed.

   6. All steers will be weighed after their arrival at the fair to determine weight classes.

   7. Classes will be divided by the weight to equalize the class.

   8. Steers may be up to but not over 2 years old.