Deuel County 4-H and FFA Livestock Policy

  1. Market animals, breeding, stocker/feeder calves, and bucket calves will be weighed on arrival at the County Fair. This will be the official weight for the show.
  2. All livestock must remain in livestock barns from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. each day of the fair, unless actively participating in a scheduled show or authorized activity.
  3. Bred & Fed Market Affidavit– Guidelines
  • Exhibitor family will be classified as exhibitor’s immediate family or family-owned operation. Family may also hold financial stakes or responsibility within operation.
  • Each market beef listed is from a Deuel County 4-H/FFA exhibitor’s family who verifies it is from his/her own cow and was bred and calved within the said family operation.
  • Each market beef listed is being raised by the 4-H/FFA member(s) at a residence readily accessible to 4-H/FFA member.
  • Each market beef listed is properly identified according to the current Deuel County 4-H/FFA Livestock Guidelines.
  • Each market beef listed is NOT automatically entered in the Deuel County Fair County Bred & Fed Market Class. Each 4-H/FFA member must properly enter his/her own project animals according to the Rules & Regulations in the current year’s Deuel County Fair Premium Book.
  • Each market beef listed is NOT required to be entered/exhibited in the Deuel County Fair County Market Beef Class. It may be entered/exhibited in both market beef classes, according to the current year’s Deuel County Fair Premium Book and Bred and Fed Market Beef Class.
  • This form with all eligible beef is due on June 15th. However, the selection of animal competing in Bred & Fed class must be determined at official beef weigh-in at the Deuel County Fair. Participant will designate tag number to Extension Staff before the end of beef weigh-ins.
  • The County Bred & Fed Market Beef class will be held directly following the selection of the Grand and Reserve Champion Market Beef. This may mean that the Grand and Reserve Market Beef can compete in and win the Bred and Fed competition.
  1. 4-H or FFA member must show his/her animal unless excused by the Livestock Committee. If a member has more than one animal in a class, a Deuel County 4-H or FFA member MUST show the animal.
  2. The showmanship classes will be held before the livestock evaluation classes. Exhibitors will be judged on how well she/he shows their animal and how well and animal is fitted. Basis of judging is approximately 40% on the appearance of the animal, 40% on showing the animal, and 20% on the appearance and merits of the exhibitor.
  3. Livestock exhibitors will wear the following clothing to show livestock unless project specifies differently. Deuel County 4-H/FFA T-Shirts, dark solid-colored pants and hard-soled shoes or boots. The Deuel County 4-H Council may amend this policy.
  4. Animals used in Showmanship must be property of the showman and must be their exhibit at fair.
  5. All beef, sheep, hogs, and poultry animals must be identified on an Ownership Affidavit by the required dates. Families may register animals on the Ownership Affidavit in all the eligible members’ names. At the time of entry at the fair, individuals must designate the animals they will exhibit.
  6. Any livestock may be subject to inspection for physical alteration. If any animal or carcass is found to have been altered physically, they will be disqualified and forfeit all winnings.
  7. All withdrawal times for drugs, medication, and feed additives MUST be followed. The Wholesome Meat Animal Assurance Program will be followed. Forms will be provided and must be properly completed and presented to the superintendent at the time the animal is weighed in.
  8. Each exhibitor may take a maximum of three animals that meet the minimum weight through the livestock sale. Within each species, there is a limit of two animals per exhibitor.
  9. Animals that do not meet the minimum weight limit are eligible for Feeder Class and Showmanship classes only.
  10. The Deuel County Council will retain 3% of the exhibitor’s total sale check. This is to cover the death or disappearance of an animal, or other discrepancies that may arise, promotion and auction expenses, uncollected debts as well as establishment of a fairground’s facilities fund.
  11. Youth must be present at the livestock sale. to be eligible to sell their animals. If extenuating circumstances arise, Deuel County 4-H Council can approve another Deuel County 4-H member to show the animal in place of exhibitor.
  12. State Fair, Livestock General Rules and Livestock Premier Exhibitor Contest are available at https://4h.unl.edu/4-h-fairbook-nebraska-state-fair/. 

The Following Rules Will Be Strictly Enforced

  1. All 4-H/FFA Livestock Exhibitors need to report to barns to clean pens at 9:30 p.m. Saturday or make arrangements with Barn Superintendent.
  2. All Livestock Exhibitors must submit a Project Record Sheet for each animal sold. Submit sheet to the Extension Office by Sept. 1 Record Sheet needs to be turned in at least 48 hours prior to Achievement Night to allow for proper review, before the 4-Her’s Livestock Sale check is issued.
  3. All Beef Shows are Blow & Go. See Livestock Beef Department for Policy details.
  4. Exhibitors must designate where animals will go. This is completed by writing one of the following
    1. sell
    2. buy back
    3. home 

for each animal they exhibited at fair on the designation sheet available in the 4-H building. 

  1. Designation must be completed the day before the sale by 1:00 pm.
  2. Animals NOT designated will be excluded from the sale.

Livestock Sale Policy

The Deuel County Fair Livestock Sale is a market only sale. Only market animals can be sold. (Market Beef, Market Swine, Market Goat, Market Sheep, Market Poultry, Market Rabbits. Fancy and Commercial and Breed Rabbits are not eligible.) All animals that go through the sale are available to the highest premium bidder to take home, otherwise they will be sold to the buyback buyer. The only time an animal can be sold for premium only, is if it is registered for:

  • The Show of Champions,
  • Nebraska State Fair,
  • AKSARBEN
  • Or show pre-approval by the Livestock Committee. 

Breeding animals, bucket calves, and cow/calf pairs are not eligible for the livestock sale but can receive $50 from the 4-H council to offset some of the expenses of raising large animals. There will be no money paid for poultry or rabbits not going through the sale.               

Weigh-In Policy

Steers weighed in from 7:00 to 9:00. Small animals weighed directly following the steers. Small animals can be weighed in any order. 

Animals That Do Not Make Minimum Weight

  • Animals that do not make the minimum weight when they are weighed initially, will be given the option to re-weigh as follows:
  • Animals can be provided with food and water during this period, but cannot be force fed.
  • Animals must remain in the barn.
  • Animals cannot be forcibly drenched, remaining reasonably dry and clean for re-weigh.
  • Animals must be re-weighed within 30 minutes from the first weigh-in.
  • If the animal still does not make weight the second time the exhibitor has two options: The animal can be placed in the underweight class and can be shown. The animal will not be eligible for grand or reserve champion or rate of gain champion, nor is it eligible to be sold.
  • The exhibitor can elect to take the animal back home.

Catch-It Animals that do not meet minimum weight may submit a request to the Livestock Committee for special approval to sell at the 4H/FFA Livestock sale. Their consideration will be based on the exhibitor’s communication throughout the entire catch-it processes, and the exhibitor’s effort to put weight on their animal. The Livestock Committee’s decision will be final. (New Rule 6-21)

General Health Requirements for Animals

  1. No animals under quarantine can be exhibited.
  2. Animals showing signs of infection or contagious diseases will not be allowed to be show.
  3. Animals that have active ringworm, visible warts, or abscesses, will not be allowed to unload on the fairgrounds.
  4. The inspecting veterinarian may judge the ringworm to be inactive if the lesion is not encrusted and hair has begun regrowth in the area and is so stated on the health certificate.
  5. Animals with warts that are visible by a hands-off inspection will not be allowed to remain on the premises.
  6. Animals that have visible abscesses will not be allowed to remain on the premises.   
  7. All animals must meet all brand and health requirements as directed by State Law.

Health Certificate

  1. All sheep and goats being exhibited, except wethers, need to be individually identified with USDA official Flock ID tags.
  2. Under no circumstances may sheep and goats be exhibited, which originate from Scrapie-source flocks or Scrapie-infected flocks.

Beef Cattle

1. Tuberculosis - no test required to exhibit.

2. Brucellosis - no test required to exhibit.

Swine

1.  See health certificate requirements in Rule 9, 4-H Livestock Policy. 

Poultry

1. Health certificate not required for poultry.

2. Poultry will be inspected by a State Veterinarian and may be dismissed from exhibit.

Deuel County Fair Book