Wayne County 4-H/FFA Fairbook - Animals

Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) – Nebraska 
4-H requires all 4-H members exhibiting in bucket calf, feeder calf, market and breeding beef, cow/calf, dairy cattle, goats, sheep, swine, rabbits, and poultry to complete annual quality assurance training through Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA). Exhibitors must have received Certification through either in person, test, or on-line prior to June 15. Completion of training will be certified by extension staff.

Registration of Livestock: Any animal to be eligible for show in a registered (purebred) class must be owned by the exhibitor by June 15 of the current year and be registered by the official breed association. The registration paper must show the exhibitor’s name or a co-owner who is an immediate member of the exhibitor’s family. Family farm or ranch names will not be accepted at State Fair. Registration must be completed by fair date. Immediate family is defined as members of a household, including parents, brothers and sisters, and youth in care of the head of the household. Any class or special award in 4-H/FFA Livestock (Beef, Goats, Sheep, Swine, and Dairy) or 4-H Horse that requires animals to be registered shall mean that proof of actual registration shall be available to show to Superintendent on demand.

Responsibility for Proper Entry: All livestock entries are due to the Nebraska Extension-Wayne County Office along with Bonus Auction and stall reservation forms by the deadline published in the pre-fair newsletter. It is up to the 4-H/FFA members to enter livestock in the correct classes. 4-H/FFA members may substitute a properly ID’d animal but may not add classes after the entry deadline. All entries for class, pens, and showmanship must be submitted. 

Ownership of Animals: All animals in the 4-H/FFA Show must be owned by the exhibitor and ownership certified where required on the appropriate 4-H forms in the Extension Office by June 15.

Bedding: The Wayne County Ag Society will NOT provide bedding for livestock. 4-H/FFA members need to bring their own wood chip bedding. The Wayne County Ag Society will provide wood chips for the show arenas and the under bedding in the dairy/beef barn. Barns must be cleaned by 9:00 a.m. to facilitate manure removal.

Water buckets: Everyone will bring their own. 

No Butt Fans Allowed: Fans are to be placed in front half of stall and blow over cattle.

Dress Code: 4-H exhibitors showing beef, dairy, goats, dogs, cats, sheep, swine, poultry and rabbits are required to wear Wayne County 4-H T-shirts OR a white shirt (or blouse) with the official 4-H chevron attached. FFA members are required to wear a FFA t-shirt or white shirt with a FFA emblem. No State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben T-shirts. Dark blue jeans with a belt are required for beef, dog, cat, pygmy goat, meat goat, sheep, swine, poultry, and rabbit exhibitors. Dairy and dairy goat exhibitors may wear dark blue jeans or white pants. NO SHORTS or CAPRIS. No hats, caps or other types of headgear are to be worn in the show ring. Horses: Exhibitors are to wear dark, blue denim jeans and a belt is recommended. Boots with waffle-type tread greater than or equal to 1/8 inch will not be allowed in riding classes (“cowboy tennis shoes”-example: Roper Horse Shoes). Helmets are encouraged but not required. Shirts and blouses must be all white, including button, thread, etc., with a convertible collar (one that is meant to be folded at the seam line and may or may not be buttoned at the base of the neck). Tuxedo, turtleneck or other stand-up collars are not permitted. No national, county or club emblems, medals, etc. permitted. (Sheer, see-through blouses are inappropriate and not permitted. Decisions will be at the discretion of show management. Guidelines for 4-H/FFA horse exhibitors are set forth in 4-H 373, the Nebraska 4-H Horse Show and Judging Guide. These guidelines WILL BE followed at the county fair. Exception: Dress code for 4-H members exhibiting in the Trail class on Wednesday evening will be relaxed, but must wear jeans, boots, belt, and western hat. White shirt is optional.

Substitute Showman Policy: A substitute showman must be a Wayne County 4-H/FFA member that has completed YQCA. Circumstances will be okayed by the department superintendent as the situation arises. Approval must be made prior to the start of the show.

Protest Policy: Protest must be put in writing no later than 2 hours prior to show. Protester puts protest in writing and puts up $100 cash. If protester is right, he gets the $100 back and the exhibitor forfeits the class placing and premium. If the protester is wrong, the $100 is forfeited to the 4-H Council. This policy applies to all species in 4-H/FFA.

Grievance Committee: Any major problems that arise in the 4-H/FFA animal program that can’t be handled by other means will be handled by the executive committee of the general 4-H Livestock Committee consisting of the chairman of each of the 4-H animal categories. A grievance committee will be especially useful in settling any grievance during competitive events, such as county fair.

Showmanship Contest: Refer to guidelines in each animal section. Age divisions are as of December 31, of the previous year.

Educational Displays: 4-H/FFA members exhibiting beef, dairy, goats, sheep, swine, poultry, and rabbits are invited to create a poster highlighting an educational aspect of their animal project. The poster could focus on a current livestock issue, animal industry careers, animal care or health, or economic impacts of the livestock industry. All educational display entries must match the species the youth is exhibiting at either the county fair OR in the Nebraska State Fair. For example, if a 4-H/FFA member is exhibiting beef, their entry must be about beef and not another species. Also, a 4-H/FFA member is not required to exhibit their livestock/animal entry at the State Fair. The entry just needs to match the species that was exhibited at the county level. Posters will be displayed in the animal barns as a way to increase the educational experiences of both the youth and the general public increasing agricultural literacy and promoting good will at the county fair. Posters will be judged. Poster display should be sturdy enough to last through the fair and no larger than 22 inches x 28 inches. Only standard poster board will be accepted. Foam Board or cardboard posters are discouraged. NOTE: Please take into consideration that these exhibits will be displayed in the barn and may not be returned to the exhibitor in the original condition at the time of entry. Youth are encouraged to laminate or otherwise protect their displays. Educational Displays will be judged on entry day, July 23 in the 4-H Building. Posters are not State Fair eligible.

Premiums: Purple $4.50, Blue $4.00, Red $3.50, White $3.00

Class:

G-090-100 Educational Display for Animals

All animals entering the fairgrounds shall be subject to visual inspection by species division superintendents prior to unloading at the fairgrounds. Animals entering the fairgrounds are expected to have current vaccinations and be of sound health. Any animal showing signs of infectious or contagious diseases will not be allowed to remain on the grounds. All animals will be subject to the ringworm and wart policy as stated below.

Ringworm and Wart Policy: Animals that have active ringworm, or visible warts, will not be allowed entry into the fairgrounds. Ringworm may be judged inactive if the lesioned area is not encrusted and hair has begun regrowth in the area. Animals with warts that are not visible by a hands-off inspection will be allowed to remain on the premises and be exhibited.

Poultry: All poultry, excluding waterfowl, going to public exhibition must meet one of the following requirements:
1. Originate from a National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) participating flock* and have documentation of the flock test or NPIP approval number; or
2. Have been purchased within the calendar year from a NPIP Participating flock, hatchery, or dealer and have documentation of the purchase and the NPIP approval number; or
3. Testing: Wayne County is on a testing rotation at the County Fair. 
Documentation can include a copy of the test chart (VS Form 9-2) or some type of receipt from the flock, dealer, or hatchery that includes their NPIP approval number.
*A NPIP participating flock is equivalent to a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid clean flock.

Goats: All goats being exhibited need to be individually identified with some form of USDA official Scrapie ID. Legible tattoo in the ear or tail may be used in place of a Scrapie tag for Dairy Goats. The tattoo will match registration papers if the goat is registered. Original registration papers must be available at check-in. The registration paper must show the exhibitor's name or a co-owner who is an immediate member of the exhibitor's family. For the State Fair it must be listed with the online nomination in the official online database. Family farm or ranch names will not be accepted at State Fair. Any dairy goat not registered will need a Scrapie tag OR the family can tattoo the Scrapie tag numbers in the ear or tail if they do not want an ear tag. Under no circumstances may goats be exhibited which originate from scrapie-source flocks or scrapie infected flocks.

Sheep: All sheep being exhibited need to be individually identified with USDA official Scrapie ID. Under no circumstances may sheep be exhibited which originate from Scrapie-source flocks or scrapie infected flocks.

Swine: Health certificates are not required. All swine shall originate directly from any herd not under quarantine for pseudorabies, and a Stage IV or V county: OR a pseudorabies qualified herd; OR be individually tested and classified negative for pseudorabies within 30 days prior to exhibition. Under no circumstances may swine under quarantine be exhibited.

Small Animals: No health certificates are required, BUT proof of current vaccination records and rabies certificates are required and must accompany pre-fair entries and must be completed or current at that time. One of the following is required as proof of vaccination: a vet health certification form with a vet’s signature, vaccinations printout or vaccination receipt. 4-H/FFA members vaccinating their own animals must provide proof in the form of a dated invoice (invoice must be dated on or prior to the date pre-fair entries are due). If vaccinations are not current, animals will not be permitted to show. Animals shall be free of discharge from nose and eyes, fleas, ticks, ear mites, worms, ringworm and other parasites and infectious diseases.

Cats are required to have current Rabies, Panleucopenia, Viral Rhinotracheitis, and Calicivirus vaccinations. In addition, a Feline Leukemia vaccination, or a negative test for Feline Leukemia.
Dogs are required to have current Rabies, Distemper, Hepatitis, and Parvo Vaccinations. Consult your veterinarian for Leptospirosis and Bordatella recommendations.
Ferrets are required to have current Rabies vaccinations.

The Superintendents of the various livestock (Horse, Beef, Sheep, Swine, Dairy, Goats, Rabbits and Poultry) and small animal (Dog, Cat and Household Pets) divisions shall have the right to inspect and remove any animals found to be infected with an infectious, contagious, or otherwise transmissible disease, or is suspected of being so affected. If the above ruling by the Superintendent is contested, an owner's choice of a veterinarian shall make the final ruling as to whether the animal in question is to be removed.

Awards:

Livestock Clubs that win the Herdsmanship Contest will have their club names displayed in the Wayne County Extension Office.

General Rules:

All livestock clubs (Horse, Beef, Goats, Sheep, Swine, Dairy, Rabbit and Poultry) will be automatically entered in the Herdsmanship Contest. Judges will be volunteers. Herdsmanship will be judged twice each day, except on show day. A club member or parent is encouraged to be in the barn during the fair.

Herdsmanship will be divided by species:

1) Beef                         4) Dairy                        7) Poultry

2) Bucket Calf              5) Goats                       8) Rabbits

3) Horse                       6) Sheep                      9) Swine

Club Rabbit & Poultry areas will be judged using the following score card.

PERCENT

1. Cleanliness of club exhibit                                                             45

2. Neatness and completeness of stall                                              15|
card for each animal

3. Arrangement of exhibit                                                                  40

                                                                                         TOTAL       100

All other livestock areas will be judged using the following score card.

PERCENT

1. Cleanliness of club exhibit                                                                  30

2. Arrangement of exhibit (includes feed, straw and show equipment) 30

3. Cleanliness and appearance of animals                                              20

4. Neatness and completeness of stall cardfor each animal                  20

                                                                                              TOTAL       100

Registered participants need to check the list posted at the 4-H Fair office by 5 p.m. on Friday prior to the Auction to make changes.

An exhibitor of market animals may sell only one market beef, one market meat goat, one market swine or one market lamb in the auction to be held Sunday afternoon, July 27, 2025. Youth must have exhibited at the fair the same class of animal sold in the auction. Exhibitor must be present at bonus auction or will not be allowed to participate. Exhibitors who participate in the Bonus Auction must be dressed in their show clothes when they go through the auction. In extreme circumstances the exhibitor may be excused by vote of Livestock Bonus Auction Committee and 4-H Livestock Committee. If it is the youth’s decision not to participate in the bonus auction and had exhibited a market animal, they would not be eligible for any pool money.

The auction will be a bonus type auction and the exhibitor will retain ownership of the animal. No rosettes or ribbons should be attached to halters to denote class placing.

Each exhibitor with a market beef, market meat goat, market sheep, or market swine will go through the bonus auction and receive an individual bid. All the money from the beef exhibitors’ bids will go into one fund and be divided equally among those beef exhibitors. The same will be the case for market meat goats, market sheep and market swine.

The following livestock are eligible for Livestock Pool Money: Breeding animals in beef, meat goats and sheep, swine, dairy cattle, dairy goats, feeder calves and bucket calves.

Those who participate in the Bonus Auction and pool money are required to acknowledge their "buyer" or donor with a thank you note.

Note: Livestock Pool Money is money collected by Bonus Auction Committee from businesses/individuals who wish to contribute. This money is then divided equally among livestock pool participants. The same exhibitor cannot participate in both bonus auction and livestock pool. Amount distributed to exhibitors varies considerably from year to year.

4-H/FFA HORSE POOL MONEY

Horse exhibitors are eligible for Horse Pool Money provided they don’t exhibit livestock. This is a separate pool from the Livestock Pool Money. The money is collected by Bonus Auction Committee from businesses/individuals who wish to contribute. This money is then divided equally among the Horse Pool participants. The amount distributed may vary considerably from year to year.

Eligible exhibitors must first participate in the Livestock Bonus Auction, then the Livestock Pool and finally the Horse Pool. The same exhibitor cannot participate in the Livestock Bonus Auction, the Livestock Pool, and the Horse Pool (can only participate in one pool).

Awards:

Leroy Sievers Memorial Plaque - 4‑H/FFA exhibitors that win the Round Robin Showmanship Contest will have their names engraved on a plaque displayed in the Wayne County Extension Office. The plaque is sponsored by the LeRoy Sievers family.

General Rules:

The Round Robin Showmanship Contest provides an opportunity for the Senior Champions and Senior Reserve Champions in Showmanship from the 4-H/FFA divisions of the large animal species (beef, dairy, goats, sheep and swine) to compete head-to-head for the best all-around senior showman honors at the Fair. It is very possible that one of the reserve showmen could be named Champion Round Robin Showman.

In this contest, each contestant will rotate from station to station, while being judged on their showmanship skills with each species of animal. The judge will use a numerical scoring system to evaluate each individual at each station, with the winner determined by the total score.

To be held: Sunday, July 27 at 1:30 p.m.

Who is eligible: The Champion and Reserve Senior showman from the 4-H/FFA divisions of beef, dairy, goats, sheep, and swine. If a person wins the senior showmanship contest in more than one species in a given year, they will be entered into the Round Robin Contest in the first species that they qualified in. In subsequent species, the next highest-ranking individual will be eligible to enter the Round Robin Contest. If the individual who has qualified has a conflict or otherwise wishes to not participate in the contest, then the next highest-ranking individual in that species will be eligible to compete.

Animals to be used: Contestants will bring the animal they qualified with back for the Round Robin Contest. These animals will be used by all contestants as they rotate from species to species. In the rotation, the champion showman will always rotate to the champion showman’s animal while the reserve champion will rotate to the reserve showman’s animal.

Score Sheets: Each individual will begin with the specie that they qualified with and then rotate to the other four species. In all five rotations, contestants will be asked 3 questions (2 points each) and awarded 4 points on how they handle and present the respective specie. This represents 40 possible points. During the first go around an additional 10 points will be awarded on how the contestant presents their own animal (i.e., fitting, grooming, cleanliness, etc.). A total of 50 points will be awarded.

Awards: Ribbons will be presented to the participants of the Round Robin Showmanship contest, but no premiums will be awarded. The Champion will have their name engraved on the LeRoy Sievers memorial plaque that is displayed in the Extension Office. A 4-H/FFA member is eligible to receive the award once in their 4-H/FFA career.