Chippewa County 4-H/FFA Quality Meat Animal Program Overview 2016-2017

Overview…. This presentation is just a highlighted piece of the Chippewa County Quality Meats Program. All families that participate in the Quality Meats Program received the rules booklet entirely. The rules booklet is also found on the Chippewa County 4-H Website.

Purpose of Quality Meats Provide an educational experience for all participants that will enhance personal growth, and expand their knowledge of the livestock industry. To create an incentive for 4-H and FFA members to carry a livestock project including records. Provide the participant with an economic return; however, the participant is to be kept informed that this may not present a realistic financial picture of the livestock industry.

General Rules For All Species Any 4-H or FFA members in good standing currently enrolled in the beef, sheep, or swine may participate. Club Leader or Advisor will notify the QMA Program in writing if a member is not in good standing. Members may only sell one animal. Members that exhibit two or more species must designate which animal they are going to sell after their last animal is shown. Exhibitor may identify and weigh up to 4 animals in any species. Each family may have one animal identified for a project as the “floater” animal.

Rules Continued All animals must be identified with RFID tags provided at the time of the weigh in. A cost of $2 per animal will be assessed to cover tag costs. The loss of an ear tag must be made known to the Extension Office IMMEDIATELY after the loss of the tag. Upon notification, another tag will be replaced in the exhibitor’s animal. Expense records shall begin at weigh in and must be maintained during the entire feeding period. All Federal and State health regulations must be followed. VIOLATION OF THIS RULE MAY RESULT IN THE PERMANENT BANISHMENT OF THE FAMILY IN THE QUALITY MEATS ANIMAL PROGRAM

Rules Continued A parent or guardian must attend two general committee meeting, with one being the June meeting, for their child to sell at the auction. In addition, all second year exhibitors and above, must have a parent or guardian attend the October, Kick-Off Meeting. All program registration forms are due by November 1, 2016. All Quality Meats members need to be signed up for 4-H or FFA by November 1, 2016 also.

Education Education is an integral part of the Chippewa County 4-H/FFA Quality Meats Program. To be able to sell in the auction each exhibitor is required to attend 2 educational events to include but not limited to Speaker Presentations or educational videos at the Quality Meats Meetings, fitting clinics, attending species shows or fairs at the discretion of the rules committee.

Specific Market Steer Rules Participant must be in the 4th grade or older to exhibit a beef market animal. Calves born on or after January 1, 2016 will be eligible for the 2017 show. All animals for this project must be castrated males by the weigh-in. (Weigh in info will be sent out later time) Steers must be dehorned. Scurs cannot be over one inch thick.

Specific Market Steer Rules Continued Any breed of beef, beef crossbred, dairy beef crossbred and dairy steer, is eligible. Beef steers will divided into classes based upon their scale weight. Beef exhibitors may exhibit up to two market steers. (4-H Explorers may NOT exhibit Market Steers.) Animals in question as to their heredity will be placed in appropriate class by the Rules Committee.

Specific Steers Continued Dairy steers will be shown in live class of their own. A Champion and Reserve Dairy Steer will selected if there are six or more dairy steers. All steers must grade “select plus” or higher and weigh a minimum of 1,000 pounds. Animals will be weighed only one time. Animals must be weighed dry and clean. Beef animals must be weighed with halter only. No additional straps, chains, etc., will be allowed.

Specific Market Lamb Rules All market lambs must be born on or after January 1, 2017. Wethers or ewes may be shown as market lambs Exhibitors may exhibit up to two market lambs. Market lambs will be divided into classes based on their scale weight. Weigh in date will be sent out later to each exhibitor.

Specific Market Hog Rules Market Hogs can be barrows or gilts. The maximum weight at initial weigh-in shall be 70lbs. If weigh-in is postponed due to weather, weigh-in will be held a week later, with maximum weight increasing by 10lbs per week. (Weigh date will be sent out at a later depending on State Vet recommendations) All Hogs will be weigh in only once. All market hogs must grade a US No. 1 or 2, weigh a minimum of 230 pounds. Market hogs over 290 pounds may be sold at 290. Only hogs weighing 230 pounds or more will be shown in the market class. Hogs weighing 190-229 pounds will be shown in ultra-light class. These animals will not be sold at the auction.

Specific Hog Rules Continued Exhibitors may exhibit two animals. Hogs need a health check from a vet before bringing them to the fair to show. (Written explanation will given to each exhibitor)

General Fair Exhibitors are encourage to wear boots, jeans, collar/button shirt, and a belt for showing and the auction. A Grand Champion Female trophy will be given in Beef and Sheep Breeding Shows. Beef exhibitors in QMA Program exhibiting a breeding animal will receive one, $15 premium from the QMA Program as an incentive to exhibit breeding stock. Cash awards provided by QMA Program will be presented to members in the QMA Program in the lead lamb class. ($15-$10-$5) A traveling trophy will be given out for an exhibitor that owned and bred his/her own animals.

Quality Meats Auction Exhibitors and parent are encourage to see potential bidders and buyers for the Quality Meats Auction. Flyers and posters will be given out at the June meeting. $1 per beef animal will be deducted from the seller for compliance with the mandatory National Beef Promotion and Research Check Off. A check off of one-half cent ($.005) per pound live weight and $.30 per lamb will be deducted from seller for compliance with the mandatory Sheep Production and Research Check-off. A check off of .40% of the market value per hog will be deducted from the seller for compliance with the mandatory Pork Production and Research Check Off. Each exhibitor that sold an animal at the auction will be deducted 3.5% per animal. That money will be given to the Quality Meats Animal Program. Each exhibitor will be deducted transportation cost for their animal to be taking to the processing plant.

Harassment Buyers and leaders are integral to the market animal sale and are to be treated with utmost respect by participants and their families.  The families/participates of the Quality Meats Program need to communicate appropriately. There will be ZERO TOLERANCE of any badgering, harassment, etc. of buyers, UW-Extension Office personnel, 4-H leaders, FFA advisors, volunteers of Quality Meats Program, Fair personnel, or Fair Board members by either participants or their families (including, but not limited to, parents, siblings, grandparents, and step family members). Chippewa County 4-H/FFA Quality Meats Animal Rules Committee will determine punishment, which may lead up to, and include, immediate termination of participation in Chippewa County 4-H/FFA Quality Meat Animal Program for life.

Carcass Show All animals that make minimum weight, grade, and are sold at the auction will be entered in the carcass contest. All sale participants must participate in the Carcass Contest to be eligible for any ribbons or trophies affiliated with the carcass show, unless participating in another educational event at the time of the contest. Notification of conflict should be given to Species Chairman or Carcass Show Committee prior to the Carcass. Exceptions will be ruled upon the Committee. This contest takes place the Monday after auction. Exact time and place will be told to exhibitors and families at a later date.

Buyer Appreciation Picnic All youth are required to present a buyer THANK YOU note in an addressed, stamped envelope prior to receiving their auction check. Checks will be available at the Buyer Appreciation Picnic. No checks will be given out without the exchange of a thank you card in completely addressed and stamped envelope. Awards for Rate of Gain and Total Performance for each species will be given out at the picnic. The Wednesday following the fair is the date for the Picnic. Exact times and place will be announced at a later date.

Educational Websites http://wisconsinlivestockbreeders.com/events.html This site lists different members that sell lambs, hogs, beef http://fyi.uwex.edu/youthlivestock/programs/livestock-learning-webinar-series/ This site is helpful from picking out your animal to show day. You can google “beef show video”, “hog show video”, or “lamb show video” You will have different shows that you can watch. A super cool video of the Chippewa County Quality Meats Program was produce by Alumni Haley Kragness Link is https://www.facebook.com/cfwhite30/posts/1424897440873344?notif_t=like&notif_id=1474060165455885

Leadership Chairman Ron Kragness (715)379-9355 Secretary Jaimie Keeku (715)644-3327 Treasurer Jill Kuehni (715)703-0917 Beef Chairman Rod Elmhorst (715)568-5721 Swine Chairman Scot Michels (715)723-6064 Sheep Chairman Kristi Gotham (715)237-3250