Beef Rules and Regulations
Beef Breeding, Beef & Dairy Feeders,
Market Steers & Heifers
REFER TO JR. FAIR SCHEDULE FOR SPECIFIC DATES AND TIMES
Project Required Book(s)
117M-Market Steer/Heifer #117 Project & Record Book and #117R Beef Resource
Handbook
117B-Beef Breeding #117 Project & Record Book and #117R Beef Resource
Handbook
117BF-Beef Feeder #117 Project & Record Book and #117R Beef Resource
Handbook
117DF-Dairy Beef Feeder #117 Project & Record Book and #117R Beef Resource
Handbook
**Book # 117R only needs to be ordered once and can be used for several years. It contains essential
subject matter information for beef & dairy market steers, market heifers, beef breeding, and beef and
dairy feeders.
GENERAL BEEF RULES:
1. All projects must be in the member's ownership, possession, and continual care by date of the
annual tagging as listed on the of the current year County Pre-Fair Schedule. Any special
arrangements must be approved individually and on file at the Extension Office by May 1.
2. All projects must be weighed and/or identified at an official county tagging (for that project)
during the current 4-H project year. 4-H’ers must have all appropriate enrollment and
identification forms on file in the Extension Office for the current year. Only entries meeting
these standards are eligible for exhibition, show and/or sale at the fair.
3. 4-H members taking beef, sheep, swine and goat projects may begin their project(s) by
identifying and weighing two (2) animals of the same species and project. One animal may be
used as an alternate (in case of sickness, etc. of first animal) and/or registered for exhibition at the
Ohio State Fair. The second identified animal in the market beef, sheep, goat and swine projects
may also be enrolled in the appropriate carcass activity. A family alternate can be tagged per
immediate family. Each child that tags a carcass animal will be excluded from the family
alternate option. The names of the children must be included on the family alternate form. Note:
4-H’er may only show and sell one market animal (project) at the Scioto County Fair. Absolutely
no substitutions or change of animals can be made after the animals have been brought to the fair
for competition.
4. 4-H members are responsible for their project animals from the start of their project year until
they are loaded for shipment, their sale contract is fulfilled, the animal is taken home and/or their
project year is completed. Members are responsible for their project animals at all times. 4-H
Volunteers, Extension Personnel, or Agricultural Society members are not responsible for the
safety of the animals under any conditions.
5. Proper show halters and lead straps are required for each beef animal exhibited. Livestock should
be tied securely with a halter and neck rope in the stall.
6. Beef projects must be halter broken and able to be led by the 4-H member. Livestock posing a
safety threat will be removed from the show ring and/or fairgrounds and forfeit any exhibition, show and/or sale privileges. The 4-H member must lead the animal in the ring for the duration of
their class and be placed by the judge in order to participate in the show and/or sale. At no time
may adults show and/or sale an exhibitor’s project.
7. The Junior Fair strongly recommends that adhesive not be used. If adhesive is used, it must be
removed within two (2) hours after the end of the show. Water may only be used on sale day (on
market steers) to reduce heat stress while animals are being transported for harvest. (See Special
& General Market Livestock Rules). The use of grooming aids containing pigment (including
those used on the skin, hair and hooves of the animal), and any other products not approved for
use on market animals, are prohibited. Please note that many show or grooming products may
contain such items. Please note that just because a product is sold (or commonly used) as
grooming agent that does not mean it is ODA approved for use on livestock!
BEEF BREEDING RULES:
1. All beef breeding animals (heifer and dam & offspring projects) must be tagged during the
official Scioto County tagging for these projects and have an identification form on file in the
Extension Office for the current year. Calves (in cow & calf projects) born after this date must
have their dams tagged by the deadline. Refer to the pre-fair schedule or advisor news letters for
the exact dates.
2. All heifer projects must be born and exhibited according to class age guidelines.
3. All calves, associated with dam and offspring projects, must be born after January 1 st of the
current year. Male offspring may or may not be castrated only when associated with dam and
offspring projects. Otherwise they must be castrated.
4. Members may exhibit only two beef heifer projects (one in class 1-2 and one in class 3-8) and
only one beef dam & offspring project in the appropriate class each year.
5. Young heifers can be shown as a feeder calf, a heifer, or as part of a dam & offspring project.
They cannot be shown in more than one of these categories.
6. Classes will be divided by age, and depending on the number of animals, within each breed
shown. Some classes may be divided or combined due to the number of animals entered. The
first place animal of each class will return to compete for champion and reserve overall beef
breeding. A champion and reserve heifer and champion and reserve cow and calf will be
selected.
CLASSES:
1. Spring Heifer Calves – calved on or after March 1 of the current year.
2. Junior Heifer Calves – calved between January 1 & February 28 of the current year.
3. Winter Heifer Calves – calved between November 1 & December 31 of the past year.
4. Senior Heifer Calves – calved between September 1 & October 31 of the past year.
5. Late Summer Yearling Female – calved between July 1 & August 31 of the past year.
6. Summer Yearling Female – calved between May 1 & June 30 of the past year.
7. Late Junior Yearling Female – calved between March 1 & April 30 of the past year.
8. Junior Yearling Female – calved between January 1 & February 28 of the past year.
9. Dam and Offspring – either daughter or son.
FEEDER CALF RULES:
1. 4-H’ers may show one feeder calf project per year.
2. Feeder calves must be tagged on the official Scioto County tagging date and an identification
form must be on file in the Extension Office for the current year.
3. Feeder calves must be born on or after January 1 st of the current 4-H year.
4. Feeder calves can be either female or male.
5. Feeder calves must be properly dehorned, and steers must be castrated by the official county
tagging date of the current 4-H year. If an animal has not been properly dehorned or castrated, it
may not be identified as a feeder calf project. Upon examination by the Fair Vet, any animal not
meeting these guidelines, will be ineligible for exhibition and show and will be removed from the
Fairgrounds per instructions.
6. Heifers can be shown as a feeder calf, a heifer, or as part of a dam & offspring project. They
cannot be shown in more than one of these categories.
7. Classes will be divided and shown by weight.
8. A champion and reserve champion feeder calf will be selected.
STEER RULES:
1. Steers must be born on or after January 1 st of the past year.
2. Only steers showing a predominance of beef characteristics may be shown.
3. Steers must be castrated and dehorned by the official county tagging date of the current 4-H year. If
an animal has not been properly dehorned or castrated by the weigh-in, it may not be identified as a
market steer project. Market steers may have up to 2” horn growth after proper dehorning as
determined by the fair vet. Animals showing evidence of testicular tissue are ineligible for exhibition,
carcass, market classes, or the Scioto County Junior Fair Sale. Upon examination by the Fair Vet or
ODA representative, any animal not meeting these guidelines, will be ineligible for exhibition, show
and sale and will be removed from the Fairgrounds as per instructions.
4. Steers must be separated from the regular herd. No nurse cows are permitted during the 4-H market
steer project period.
5. Fair weigh-in for steers will be Monday of the fair, 8:00 a.m. All steers must be in place by the time
stated in the fair schedule.
6. Steers must be weighed only with a rope halter and rope lead at fair weigh-in.
7. All steers will be entered in a rate-of-gain contest.
8. All 4-H’ers wishing to exhibit a market steer project at the Scioto County Fair must be verified as
attending a Scioto County Quality Assurance (Q.A.) Session for the current year. Session
information is available at the Extension Office or from club advisors. Youth who do not attend a
Scioto County Q.A. session for the current year are ineligible to exhibit and compete at the Scioto County Fair during that year. It is the 4-H’ers (and their parent or guardians) responsibility to see that
they attend a session. No make-up sessions will be offered in Scioto County.
9. Steers must weigh a minimum of 1,000 pounds at the fair weigh-in to be eligible for grand, reserve, or
rate-of-gain champion and to sell in the sale. Steers will be shown by weight. Light weight animals
are permitted one weigh back, immediately following their first weighing. The animal will be
removed, the scales balanced, and the animal immediately loaded onto the scales for re-weighing. The
second weight will be the official weight.
10. Steers weighing less than 1,000 pounds will be shown in a lightweight class only for participation
ribbons. They are encouraged to participate in a showmanship class.
11. 4-H’ers with lightweight steers will be given a light weight slip immediately after their animal is
weighed. 4-H’ers must indicate whether they wish to take their steer home (after midnight Friday &
prior to 6:00 a.m. Saturday, or after midnight Saturday) or sell their steer to the stockyards (at market
price) on this form. Forms must be returned to the Extension Office no later than one hour after the
steer show. Lightweight steers that do not have the appropriate forms (completed by the deadline)
will be sold to the stockyards, they cannot be taken home.
12. Steers may or may not be subject to any type of shrinkage in accordance to sale guidelines.
13. The use of stomach tubes for the purpose of anything other that the temporary expulsion of gas
anytime is prohibited. Any such action must be in accordance to vet instructions.
14. Steers must be born in Scioto County to be eligible to compete for Best Scioto County Champion and
Reserve.
16. ORDER OF SHOW:
a. All steers will be weighed and divided into classes of not more than 10 head. Lightest thru the next 10. Other
classes will be arranged the same way.
b. In all championship classes, both a champion and a reserve champion shall be selected. Only first place animals
will be allowed to compete for championship. The second place winner in the class from which the champion
was selected is eligible to compete for reserve champion.
c. Best Scioto County- If the Grand Champion and Reserve Champion animals are from Scioto County, they will be
named Best Scioto County Champion and Reserve. If one of these animals is not from Scioto County, then the
highest placing animal (born in Scioto County) in each class will compete for Best Scioto County Champion and
Reserve.
17. STEER SALE:
a. Saturday of the fair. See Fair schedule for date, time and sale order.
b. Steers will be sold as follows:
Overall Grand Champion, Reserve Champion, Best Scioto Co. Grand, Best Scioto Co. Reserve, Rate-of-Gain
Champion, followed by a rotation of classes, as selected by the ShoWorks database.
18. If steers (other than the Champion, Reserve, Rate-Of-Gain, or Best Scioto County Grand and Reserve Steers) are to be
withdrawn from the sale, 4-H members must notify the Junior Fair Office, in writing, within one hour after the beef
show. Scioto County Junior Fair market animals can not be shown at another Junior Fair event after the fair.
SHOWMANSHIP RULES:
1. Showmanship will be divided as follows:
Senior———–Ages 15-18, as of January 1 of the current 4-H year.
Intermediate–Ages 12-14, as of January 1 of the current 4-H year.
Junior———–Ages 8-11, as of January 1 of the current 4-H year.
A grand and reserve showman will be selected in each age division. Participants must show their own project animal
(feeder, beef breeding or steer) in all showmanship classes.
2. Sign-up sheets for showmanship will be posted in the barn prior to the contest. Members must show their own project
animals.
3. The winner of senior showmanship will compete in the Showman of Showmen Contest Friday, of the fair, in the show
arena. The winner must show their own animal.
4. A junior (8-13 years as of Jan. 1) beef herdsman award and senior (14 years and over as of Jan. 1) beef herdsman
award will be presented to two 4-H members exhibiting the best overall herdsman qualities throughout the fair. Beef
4-H Volunteers can vote one time each day (Monday -Friday; 9:00am – 4:00 pm only) for only one individual in each
age group. Volunteers must vote in person (no proxy) and can only vote for the current day (i.e. not for days past or
in the future).The winner in each division will be determined by the highest number of cumulative votes/points for the
week and announced during the Showman of Showman contest.
CLASSES:
1. Feeder Calves
2. Beef Breeding
3. Market Steers
4. Best Scioto County (only if both grand and reserve are not from Scioto County)
5. Senior Showmanship (15-18 years – As of January 1 st of the current year)
6. Intermediate Showmanship (12-14 years – As of January 1 st of the current year)
7. Junior Showmanship (8-11 years – As of January 1 st of the current year)
Refer to "Jr. Fair Livestock Rules & Regulations" and "General Breeding and Market Animals Rules" for other rules
pertaining to this project.
SKILLATHON and OUTSTANDING EXHIBITOR
All livestock project members are encouraged to participate in the livestock skillathon. Specific date information is located
on the pre-fair schedule.
One Outstanding Exhibitor will be selected in each specie area each year. This person is selected based upon their scores
in the skillathon contest, showmanship and a project class. Therefore, 4-H’ers must participate in all of these events in
order to compete for this award.
For complete rules, dates and guidelines on these programs refer to the “Educational Livestock Event and Activities”
section of the county project requirements.