What's New

Show Pig Sale*
11/17/09 - Jennie Wagner
Hi, we are doing things a bit different this year at Wagner Show Pigs.  We will be holding an auction on Dec. 20th, hog preview at 11, complimentary lunch at noon and sale at 1pm.  There will be several floor prices, so there should be something for everyone's budger.  Part of our reasoning behind this is to give everyone a chance at the "best" hogs, as well as get rid of our inventory in one day. 

Click HERE for Flyer or email Ian Wagner at ianwag hotmail.com for more information.

Heifer and Club Calf Sale in Othello*
On Friday, November 27th there will be 20 open heifers, 55 bred heifers, and 45 halter broke steers for sale in Othello.

There will be nice club calves ranging from 500-900 lbs for spring or fall shows.  They are all halter broke, clipped, and sorted for disposition.  Most of the work is done by the Schmidt kids.

The bred heifers will be Black Angus, Shorthorn, and Durham Reds.  There are some show prospects, not halter broke - but bad dispositions are already at the feedlot, in the open heifers.
Flyer *

Livestock Judging Clinic in Waitsburg

10/27/09 - Carla Rowe
The annual Waitsburg Livestock Judging Clinic begins at 9am on Saturday, November 21 at the Waitsburg Fairgrounds in Waitsburg, Washington.  This is an opportunity for 4-H and FFA members to judge the confirmation of horses, beef, dairy, swine, sheep and goats.  Team judging is encouraged.  Participants receive a free lunch after judging, courtesy of the Walla Walla Cattlemen’s Association.  For additional information, please contact chairman Jim Burres at 509-337-6545

Taking your animal off the farm?

Taking your animal to a workshop, clinic, or show, may be a good way to get hands-on practice prior to a fair. And the fair experience, may be one of your primary goals. However, there are Health Risks. The commingling of animals of different species, breeds, and ages, from multiple premises and herd management backgrounds creates an environment for potential exposure and spread of animal diseases. Responsible animal owners need to implement practices before, during, and after clinics, fairs, & sales to protect their animals. Check with your leader or veterinarian for advice on taking YOUR specific animal(s) to events.

Please review the WSDA- BioSecurity Checklist for Livestock Exhibitors.

Disease Prevention in 4-H Livestock Projects

Check out the new training module for 4-H Livestock Volunteers. Fair managers & superintendents will also find this information useful! This training covers bio-security practices and how they can be used to reduce the risk of contracting and spreading diseases while raising 4-H livestock. It is a great way to learn disease prevention while providing you with inspiration and teaching ideas so you can bring these concepts to youth in your county!

The training is delivered on-line at:
http://vetextension.wsu.edu/programs/4-H/index.htm
(preferred method). For those with no or slow internet access, a DVD of training is available from the Extension Office. Lincoln-Adams volunteers can contact Karen or call 659-3209 or 725-4171.

H1N1 (Swine) Influenza Concerns for Swine Producers and 4-H/FFA Swine Projects

The spread of the “Swine Flu” or Swine Influenza Virus H1N1 in Mexico, the U.S. and around the world has naturally created increased concern for individuals involved with swine production.  Even though the name indicates a connection to swine, the spread of this illness has not been linked to contact with pigs.  The Swine Flu virus, H1N1, is spreading from human-to-human contact transmission.  To date, the virus has not been isolated in any animals (pigs or avian).  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released the following statement:  “Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food.  You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork product is safe.”  Not only should producers take precaution to protect their health, but they should also make sure biosecurity practices are in place to protect their animals and keep this virus from entering the U.S. swine herds.  Adult and youth producers, 4-H/FFA parents, advisors, and leaders can help protect themselves and the U.S. swine industry by implementing and maintaining biosecurity practices.  If you own swine, consider the following practices to help prevent diseases from being transmitted to your animals:

• Individuals should shower and change into farm-specific clothes and shoes before entering facilities and handling swine.   These farm-specific clothes and shoes should be specific to only your farm, not other farms you may visit.  These clothing items should only be worn on your farm.
• Individuals exhibiting influenza-like symptoms should not have contact with the pigs for at least seven days.  Individuals with symptoms should be seen by a medical provider.
• Restrict access to your facilities and to your pigs to essential individuals responsible for care of pigs.
• Prevent international visitors from entering facilities or handling pigs.
• Contact your veterinarian or the Washington State Department of Agriculture Veterinarian if swine exhibit flu-like or respiratory illness, especially in the onset or presentation of the illness is unusual.
• Wash hands frequently, especially before and after handling swine.

For more information about swine influenza virus transmission to pigs or more detailed biosecurity practices visit www.pork.org or www.wsu.porkgateway.org.  The Center for Disease Control, www.cdc.gov, has information available concerning the spread of the H1N1 virus

The April 24th Special Edition of the Pork Leader urges U.S. Pork Producers to take extra biosecurity precautions to protect their herd and operation from the Swine Influenza Virus and other diseases.

Market Livestock Health Issues

• BioSecurity Checklist for Livestock Exhibitors Checklist Here
• BioSecurity Signs for Fairs
• Malignant Catarrhal Fever
• Malignant Catarrhal Fever Fact Sheet

The WSU Veterinary Medicine Extension site is a good place to visit for up to date information related to ag. animal health.

Livestock Roundup

Issues of the Livestock Roundup , published by WSU's Washington Animal Ag Team, is available online at http://www.animalag.wsu.edu/newsletters/index.html

This electronic newsletter is published by the Central Washington Animal Agriculture Team, comprised of Washington State University Extension educators in the fields of animal science, range management, agronomy, and entomology.

Compliance with COOL
is quite simple for 4-H’ers.

The Market Animal Health Record Forms, revised last year, satisfy most Fair Livestock Sale QA Health Record and COOL record requiements.
Click HERE for QA Market Health Records

Other Option for COOL Record Keeping:
(See article below)

Tom Platt, WSU Extension, 11/6/08
Under the new USDA rule regarding Country of Origin Labeling, known as COOL, retail meat (beef, pork, lamb, goat meat, and chicken) must be certified by the retailer as to its country of origin. In order to do so, retailers will obtain affidavits certifying country of origin of all meat they purchase from wholesalers, which most often are USDA inspected packing plants. In turn, USDA inspected packing plants require an Affidavit of Country of Origin for all livestock they purchase. This new USDA rule will have some effect on 4-H market livestock, especially those destined for the retail meat trade. Sellers will need to provide an Affidavit of Country of Origin to buyers. 4-H livestock that is sold directly to end users (mom, grandpa, Uncle Jim, Jerry’s Tire Company, etc.) for custom slaughter does not need an Affidavit of Country of Origin, since it will not be sold at retail. On the other hand, “turn” animals often are sold to a commercial packing plant. Since the final destination of
4-H market animals sold at the Fair or Junior Show often is not known, 4-H’ers should be prepared to provide buyers an Affidavit of Country of Origin for all beef, pigs, lambs, goats, and chickens they plan to sell.

In order to provide an Affidavit of Country of Origin, 4-H’ers should do the following:

1. Obtain an Affidavit of Country of Origin from the person from whom you purchase or obtain your meat animals. Keep this affidavit for one year after you sell the meat animals. Furnish the seller a blank Affidavit ofCountry of Origin if they don’t have one.
2. When you sell meat animals, provide buyers with your own Affidavit of Country of Origin. Keep a record of this affidavit for one year following the sale. In order to certify the country of origin of meat animals you sell, you must have first hand knowledge of their origin. First hand knowledge means that you produced these animals or that you obtained an Affidavit of Country of Origin for them when you obtained them.

4-H’ers who raise their own meat animals should originate the Affidavit of Country of Origin.

Meat animals participating in the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) need no Affidavit of Country of Origin, since NAIS participation is considered proof of country of origin.

COOL Affidavit & Explanation (PDF)     Word
COOL Affidavit Only (PDF)      Word

Reminder: Most Fairs will be using the WSU Health Record forms which satisfy both Quality Assurance and COOL Affidavit/record keeping requirements.

If you have questions:
e-mail Tom Platt or call 509-725-4171
Questions? Contact Tom Platt: e-mail or call 509-725-4171
More Info on COOL (pdf)

Beef

Steer Carcass Data

From Tom Platt

Lincoln County Carcass Data (PDF)

Wheat Land Communities Fair Carcass Data (PDF)

(If you are unable to open/print the PDF files contact Karen  659-3209 or Tom 725-4171 for a hard copy via snail mail.)

I have tabulated the steer carcass data from the 2008 fall fairs.  I am only able to collect carcass data from steer carcasses hung as halves, because the ribeye measurement is distorted in those hung as quarters.  Basically, this means I only collect carcass data from steers butchered at the Meat Block in Ritzville or at one of the federally inspected plants like Verns in Moses Lake.  From the Wheatland Fair, I collected carcass data from four of ten steers sold.  From the Lincoln County Fair, I collected carcass data from 8 of 20 steers sold. 

I would be happy to meet with your club or chapter to explain how carcass data is collected and what it means.  If you would like me to do so, please schedule the meeting so that we can invite all of the steer exhibitors from the fair.

I commend you and your members from selecting, raising, and exhibiting high quality steers.

If you have questions about the data, e-mail Tom Platt or call 725-4171.

Quick Links

     Beef
    Fairs/Shows 
    Judging
    Misc.
    Poultry
    Sheep  
    Goat
    Swine

   
    Resources
      General
      Beef
      Goat
      Health
        Records
      Sheep
      Swine

Potential Sources of Beef Calves:

Bob Schoessler, Ritzville - 659-1057 - Registered Angus

Roy & Chet Clinesmith - Benge - 887-2434

Richard & Barbara Rodgers, Reardan - 796-2599 -
Red Poll Calves - Docile, small framed - good for young
4-H'ers or small acreage. What is a Red Poll?  

Reference to commercial products or operations, trade names or services, is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied.

If you know a source for 4-H Project Animals
Send LINK or Contact information to
Karen at robertk @ wsu.edu (remove spaces)

Fairs & Shows

Safe Fairs

Please read this letter(Click Here) and watch the video concerning fair volunteer efforts to protect people, livestock, and the food supply.

Lincoln County Fair
Rate of Gain & Steer of Merit Contests

4-H Leaders and Ag Instructors should contact the Davenport Extension Office as soon as possible to request ear tags needed for your members who plan to enter the Rate of Gain or Steer of Merit Contests. Call 509-725-4171 or email Cindy

Steers exhibited at the 2009 Lincoln County Fair must be officially weighed and ear tagged between April 11 and April 26, 2009 if they are to be entered in the Rate of Gain or Steer of Merit Contests. 

Weighing should be done by the 4-H leader or Vo-Ag instructor at any certified scale.  A maximum of two ear tags are allowed per exhibitor.  4-H Leaders and Ag Instructors must complete and return a "Steer Weigh-In Registration Form" for each steer by May 15, 2009.

Blank forms will be provided to you with your ear tag order or you may download:
   Form (Word)      Form (PDF)

State Fair Livestock Judging Contest Teams
Click HERE for team qualification information for the Livestock Judging Contest at the WA State Fair in Puyallup.

Deadlines
Be sure to check with management of Fairs or shows you plan to enter as early as possible. Each event may have their own enrollment, residence, ownership, certification or other requirements and deadlines.

Click HERE for more Fair Info

Fair can be a stressful time

8/7/07 - Sarah M. Smith
Fairs are not only stressful for exhibitors, but can be extremely stressful on the animals.  Considering the fact that most animals at the fair have never been off the farm or hauled extensively prior to these events, it always amazes me how well they handle all the adversity—We all as stewards of our animals should try to handle stress in such a positive manner.  It is important for exhibitors, parents, and leaders to manage potential stress factors:

1. Anticipate potential stress factors,
2. Minimize these stress factors or their potential impact,
3. Recognize when these stress factors have impacted an animal, and
4. React to stress factors by treating animals and/or changing management of the stress factor.

Some of the stress factors that can compromise an animal’s health and the ability to maintain health are: travel, confinement, temperature/humidity changes, nutritional changes (both diet and water supply), contact with animals and other pathogen (disease) challenges, activity requirements (transportation, grooming, and showing), and excessive handling by outside individuals.

Win a 4-H pencil! e-mail Karen if you read this!

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Judging

Judging Contests

Lincoln-Adams 4-H'ers please note: Single species judging contests are great opportunities to practice judging & decison making skills. However, to qualify for State Fair Livestock Judging - contests must include beef, sheep AND swine. The extension office must receive complete results from Judging Contests to be counted towards qualification for State Fair. More Info

About Judging
 Judging Contests: Learning About Judging by Katrina Walker (PDF)

Livestock Judging Contest Videos
To see some short beef heifer and meat goat juding videos - start HERE

Miscellaneous

WSU Veterinary Extension Newsletter

Dr. Dale Moore, Director of the WSU Veterinary Medicine Extension program has introduced a valuable resource for individuals engaged in animal agriculture, animal owners and the general public. There is extremely timely and valuable animal health information included in each newsletter. To register, please go to the following URL:
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/extension/Newsletters/index.aspx

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FSA Youth Loan Program

If you need assistance to fund your fair animal or 4-H project, Farm Service agency can help you.   We provide low interest loans for projects supervised by an advisor or leader and supported by your parent.    This program is beneficial as it teaches fiscal accountability and financial planning along with establishing a credit history. 

Club Meeting Idea: Make a Rope Halter

Use this revised publication at a livestock project meeting: Make a Rope Halter (pdf)
(provided by Tom Platt, formatted by Marge Schoessler)
If you can't open or want multiple copies for your meeting,
E-mail Karen Robertson or call 659-3209.

Great Activity for Clubs or Groups
Topic: Resiliency
Susan Kerr
Hi everyone—here is a brief activity we developed for our livestock youth, but it is applicable to all youth. As you approach show season, you might find an opportunity to use this activity to help youth appreciate the value of resiliency. Feel free to adapt this activity however you need to for your audience.

Activity Word       Activity PDF

Susan R. Kerr, DVM, PhD
WSU Extension Director-Klickitat County
509-773-5817    kerrs@wsu.edu

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High Feed Cost Impacts 4-H/FFA Livestock Projects
        
Many 4-H and FFA youth involved with livestock market projects must contend with high feed prices. It is important for youth, parents, leaders, and advisors to expect feed prices to remain high and be prepared to factor these additional costs into raising project animals.

Click HERE for Article has good information, even though it was written a couple of years ago.

Beef, Sheep, Swine, Goat, Horse References

Lots of misc. references, fact sheets, and newsletters are available from the WSU Central WA Animal Agricultural Team at:
http://animalag.wsu.edu/

Info for 4-H/Youth Producers:
http://www.animalag.wsu.edu/Youth%20Producers/index.html

Animal Premise Identification

The Washington Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is encourages all livestock producers, including small farms and youth producers, to register their premise as part of the voluntary National Animal Identification System (NAIS). Click HERE For for more information.

4-H Youth Animal Premise Identification