A date has been set for the Market Beef Weigh-In for 4-H and FFA beef project members in Washington County. The weigh-in will be held Saturday, December 13th, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. At the Kalona Sale Barn. Ten calves may be weighed for the county fair and out-of-county events. Market beef classes for the Washington County Fair 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, and share-a-calf. Breeding heifers do not need to be weighed.

Cost is $1.50 per ear tag for all beef and Washington County will do retinal scanning for those nominating for the State Fair. Listen to KCII for cancellation and delay information if there is bad weather.

Additional information:

– Any bucket-bottle calf project shown the previous year (2014) and weighed in for the current year (2015) is eligible to be entered in the Returning Bucket Bottle Classes, Market Beef classes or the Dairy Steer class for the 2015 County Fair.

– Required information for purebred calves being nominated for Iowa State Fair and/or Ak-Sar-Ben:
– Breed
– Sire Name
– Sire Registration #
– Tattoo

– Required information for purebred market calves for county fair ONLY:
– Breed
– Signed Affidavit from the producer, verifying this calf could be registered
– OR registration papers

– 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.

– If the above information is not provided at the December weigh-in, it will be assumed the calf is a crossbred.

Costs: $1.50 per ear tag for all beef. Washington County will do retinal scanning for those nominating for the State Fair. The fee for each calf nominated for State Fair is $8/head.
– Ak-Sar-Ben will require DNA samples and the Ak-Sar-Ben cost is $8/head. If exhibitor nominates for BOTH State Fair and Ak-Sar-Ben the cost is $16/head plus $1.50/tag.
– Bring money to pay all fees on December 13.
– Any out of county 4-H’ers will be charged an additional $8/head for State Fair, $8/head for Ak-Sar-Ben and $3/head for county-only shown calves.
– Please contact the Washington County Extension Office ahead of time if you will be attending from a neighboring county 4-H program.

Please arrive at your own convenience between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m.

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