Bottle Lamb Record Book and Project Resources
GENERAL SHEEP SHOW RULES - See Livestock/Animal General Rules
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS - See Livestock/Animal General Rules
GROOMING RULES - See Livestock/Animal General Rules
YOUTH FOR THE QUALITY CARE OF ANIMALS (YQCA) - All 4-H youth enrolled in livestock projects are required to complete annual quality assurance training through YQCA.
ARRIVAL TIME – All market lambs, breeding sheep, and bottle lambs must check-in between 9:00 am to 11:00 am on entry day, Thursday, August 7 and stay the entire fair.
SHOWING & HANDLING PRACTICES – The use of showing and/or handling practices that may be considered objectionable or abusive, such as striking or slapping lambs and exhibiting the lamb with its front feet off the ground, are not acceptable. The use of such practices may result in the lowering of a ribbon placing. (Lifting the lamb in a fluid motion to set the front legs prior to quickly setting the feet back on the ground is acceptable.) Spike collars are not acceptable and will result in the lowering of a ribbon placing.
SHEEP IDENTIFICATION REQUIRMENTS FOR STATE FAIR – Refer to the Nebraska Sate Fairbook.
MARKET LAMBS
PREMIUMS: Purple, $6.00; Blue, $4.50; Red, $3.00; White, $2.00
TROPHIES: See Knox County Trophy and Award List
NUMBER OF ENTRIES PER EXHIBITOR: Four Market Lambs (no individual animal may be shown in both Breeding and Market classes)
MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT - All market lambs are required to be born on or after December 1, 2023.
MINIMUM WEIGHTS FOR MARKET LAMBS - Market lambs weighing less than 100 pounds at weigh-in will be allowed to show but will not be eligible for purple ribbons or allowed to compete for awards. A feeder lamb class may be created at the discretion of the superintendents.
MARKET LAMB IDENTIFICATION - To be eligible to show, the 4-H member must have cared for the sheep starting no later than June 15 of current year. All market lambs must be tagged with a USDA official scrapie ID and be recorded on the ownership affidavit due in the Extension Office by June 15.
MARKET LAMB DEFINITION - Wether and ewe lambs are eligible for market classes. Short scrotum, cryptorchid, or ram lambs are not eligible as market lambs.
WOOL LENGTH REQUIREMENTS - All market lambs must be shorn sufficiently short to allow inspection for club lamb fungus. Wool may be left on the legs ONLY below the knees and hocks.
MARKET LAMB CLASSES - Classes will be split by weight including all breeds. Wethers and ewes will show together. If necessary, the market lambs may be split into three divisions: 1) Black Face, 2) White Face and 3) Two-Colored Face.
MARKET LAMB BONUS - Carhart Lumber of Bloomfield will be awarding cash prizes to the top purple market lambs exhibited by 4-H and FFA members. The Market Lamb Bonus will follow the 4-H Sheep Show. The trophies are sponsored by the Jeff Wagner Family of Creighton and CB Club Lambs of Creighton.
First Place + Trophy - $75 Second Place - $50 Third Place - $25
CLUB PEN OF THREE
PREMIUMS: First, $8.00; Second, $6.00; Third, $4.00
Three (3) Market Lambs must be owned by at least two (2) 4-H exhibitors. The 4-H’er may be involved in only 1 pen.
BOTTLE LAMB
PREMIUMS: Purple, $6.00; Blue, $4.50; Red, $3.00; White, $2.00
TROPHIES: See Knox County Trophy and Award List
NUMBER OF ENTRIES PER EXHIBITOR: Two Bottle Lambs
Any 4-H member may participate in this project. There are two age divisions (age on December 31 of previous year): Beginner (ages 8-12) and Advanced (ages 13 & over). The lamb must be born anytime from February 1 through June 1 of the current year. The lamb must be under the care of the 4-Her through the entire project. The judging of the project will consist of three parts: 1/3 health, care and quality; 1/3 records; and 1/3 interview. The lamb must be tagged with a USDA official scrapie ID and be recorded on the ownership affidavit due in the Extension Office by June 15. Record books are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 8 in the 4-H Office.
BOTTLE LAMB CLASSES
- Advanced Bottle Lamb - lamb born between February 1 and June 1 of current year
- Beginning Bottle Lamb - lamb born between February 1 and June 1 of current year
BREEDING SHEEP
PREMIUMS: Purple, $6.00; Blue, $4.50; Red, $3.00; White, $2.00
NUMBER OF ENTRIES PER EXHIBITOR: Two Breeding Ewes
TROPHIES: See Knox County Trophy and Award List
IDENTIFICATION - To be eligible to show, the 4-H member must have cared for the sheep starting no later than June 15 of current year. All breeding sheep must be tagged with a USDA official scrapie ID and be recorded on the ownership affidavit due in the Extension Office by June 15. In all cases, animals will be subdivided into breeding ewe lambs and breeding yearling ewes.
IDENTIFICATION FOR STATE FAIR – Refer to the State Fair Animal Identification Guidelines
AGE CLASSIFICATION OF BREEDING EWES: Ewes born September 1, 2024, or after are classified as lambs. Ewes born between 9/1/2023 and 8/31/2024 will be classed as yearlings. Ewes born prior to 9/1/2023 are ineligible to show. All ewe lambs must have temporary teeth present; yearling ewes can have yearling teeth but cannot have two-year old teeth.
All registered and commercial “meat breed” breeding sheep must be shorn sufficiently short to allow inspection for club lamb fungus. Wool may be left on the legs ONLY below the knees and hocks. All registered and commercial “wool breed” sheep may be shown in the fleece.
Breeding Sheep will be split by age and if needed may be split by Black Face (meat) and by White Face (wool).
BREEDING EWE CLASSES
- Ewe Lambs (all breeds) born September 1, 2024 and after
- Yearling Ewes (all breeds) born in September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2024
BREEDING EWE BONUS - Wagner Bros. Club Lambs of Winnetoon will be awarding cash prizes to the top purple breeding ewes exhibited by 4-H and FFA members. The trophies are sponsored by Wagner Bros. Club Lambs and CB Club Lambs of Creighton.
First Place + Trophy - $75 Second Place - $50 Third Place - $25