Nancy Lambert: 2018 market livestock dates

The ownership and tattoo/tag dates for livestock entered in the 2018 Illinois State Fair livestock shows have been announced. These dates will be the basis for our Saline County 4-H ownership and tattoo/tag dates as well.

Steers/market heifers - calved on or after Jan. 1, 2017. Owned/personally cared for by exhibitor since Feb. 1, 2018. Weighed, tattooed/tagged on or between Jan. 27 - March 15, 2018.

Barrows - regular barrows - farrowed on or after Jan. 15, 2018. Owned and cared for by exhibitor by weigh-in, https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/jz1tCgJXqVCY9X4cNbvU0?domain=date. No weighing and tattooing required, but the exhibitor must submit ear notches when making the entry.

Premiere Barrows - farrowed on or after Feb. 10, 2018. Owned and cared for by exhibitor by weigh-in date. Weighed/tattooed between Feb. 10 - April 15, 2018. Tattooed within 35 days of birth - may not weigh more than 1 lb./day of age.

Sheep wethers - lambed on or after Jan. 1, 2018. Owned and cared for by exhibitor by weigh-in date. Weighed/tattooed/tagged between March 15 - May 15, 2018.

Meat goat wethers - born on or after Oct. 1, 2017. Owned and cared for by exhibitor by weigh-in date. Tattooed in name of exhibitor only by May 15, 2018. Ownership dates for kids and yearlings not in milk - May 15, 2018.

All lambs and meat goats to be exhibited at the state fair must be taken to one of the statewide locations for weighing and tattooing. Specific information regarding each of the weigh-in locations and procedures will be forthcoming.

Quality Assurance and Ethics Certification (QAEC) is mandatory for all livestock projects and subsequent 4-H exhibition. All state fair beef, dog, sheep, swine, horse, dairy, meat goat, poultry and rabbit exhibitors (as well as any Saline County 4-H members planning to exhibit any animal project of any species) must complete the one-time online training. Those who have completed it in the past do not have to complete it again. This requirement includes both live animal exhibits and animal poster projects.

All junior exhibitors will need to pay entry fees for any/all animals entered at the state fair level. Fees will be due with class entries: June 1 for horses and July 1 for all other livestock. Fees are as follows:

Beef, dairy, horses: $10 per head.

Sheep, swine, goats: $5 per head.

Poultry, rabbits: $1 per head.

Market heifers will be processed and nominated identical to steers in 2018. The market heifer show will be discontinued in 2019.

Saline County 4-H

To find out more about Saline County 4-H and ways to get involved in our programs and community service activities, contact Nancy Lambert, Saline County 4-H Extension program coordinator, at the University of Illinois Extension office in Harrisburg at (618) 252-8391.

U of I Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

NANCY LAMBERT is program coordinator for Saline County 4-H.