Objective

4-H & FFA livestock projects have been one of the most successful activities at teaching youth and their family about responsibility and care for their livestock.  The objective of the 4-H/FFA Replacement Beef Heifer Development Contest is to recognize youth who have a true passion for raising beef cattle.  This is a ten (10) month contest where the contestant would be personally responsible for the daily management of their heifers.  In competing in the heifer development contest, it is anticipated that the participants and adults around the state will learn proper heifer development practices and procedures.  The contest is designed to encourage young beef producers to participate in a practical beef heifer development program.

Design of Contest

The 4-H & FFA Heifer Development Contest is a ten (10) month project.  It will start on November 1, 2016 and conclude in early August, 2017.  An entry form is required prior to November 1 to be submitted to Dr. Dean Jousan, Extension 4-H Livestock Specialist.  The location(s) of the contest will be determined and announced at a later date. 

4-H & FFA members must be individual entrants to the contest unless two (2) or more brothers or sisters, each at least 14 years of age but not over 18 years of age as of January 1 of the current year in which the contest begins, of a family constitute a joint entry.  If the entrant is in college, he/she must personally manage and care for their heifers on a daily basis by commuting from home to school.  It is not permissible to have someone else care for the heifers while away at school.

The heifer development project must consist of three (3) heifers (purebred or commercial) that are either fall born from the previous year or spring born of the current year in which the contest begins.  While not mandatory, the heifers can be exhibited in junior shows.  Heifers can be purchased from a purebred or commercial producer or be selected from family operations of an immediate family member (parent, stepparent, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, grandparent or legal guardian).  NOTE: If registered or commercial beef heifers are used in the project and are to be shown at the Mississippi State Fair or District and Dixie National Junior Round-Up Livestock Shows, the ownership rules and regulations as printed in those premium books will still apply.

This contest is designed to evaluate the youth producer’s ability to manage the heifers rather than the genetic selection of the heifers.  Therefore, participants using purebred and commercial heifers will be judged together without preference given to breed or breed type.

Contestants will be judged on all managerial aspects of their heifer development project.  Youth can take advantage of FSA farm loans totaling $5,000.  Participants will be encouraged to take advantage of Extension agents, advisors and experienced producers in selecting quality heifers and discussing production cost.

Evaluation System

By November 1, 2016, an entry form must be submitted to the Extension 4-H Livestock Specialist.  This will determine the number of contestants and create a record of preliminary information about heifers selected for this project.  Initial criteria to be included on the entry form would include the animals’ age, weight, breed, and starting value (purchase price) for each animal.  In addition, each entrant should submit their goals for the project.  If registered heifers are used, the entry should include a photocopy of that animal(s) registration paper.

Potential heifers to be chosen for the contest should be born in the fall of 2015 or the spring of 2016.  Any heifer with a sign of 3-year old teeth will be eliminated at the contest site, regardless of a registered or printed birth date for that heifer.

All participants must submit a set of records prior to evaluation of the heifers no later than August 1, 2017.  Records could be kept in a spreadsheet, notebook or other system that is decided upon by the exhibitor(s).  Specific records that should be kept throughout the year and submitted can be found in the Records section below.  Entrants will be notified by letter where the record books should be sent closer to the deadline.

All three (3) heifers entered in the contest should be taken to the contest site for final judging.  No heifer may be substituted during the contest.  In addition, no heifer should be removed from the contest without prior approval from Roy Higdon (rafterh@wildblue.net) or Dean Jousan (Dean.Jousan@msstate.edu).

The 4-H & FFA Heifer Development Contest will be made up of 3 components: a visual appraisal of the heifers, a record keeping system and an interview process.

• Visual Evaluation:  A committee of judges will evaluate each group of three (3) heifers managed by the contestant.  Criteria that will be evaluated include weight, frame score, growth, body condition score, health, structural/skeletal soundness and reproductive ultrasound evaluation.  In addition, each entrant will be judged on their salesmanship skills and overall knowledge of phenotypic characteristics of their heifers.  This component of the contest will be worth 20%.
• Records: Youth will be required to submit records kept throughout the entire ten (10) month project.  At the start of the project, contestants will be asked to list short- and long-term goals for their heifer project.  In addition, during each month of the project, the contestant should record anything that was done to his/her heifers.  Examples would include recording the amount of feed, hay or other nutritional supplements purchased or fed, veterinarian expenses and other health-related costs, breeding decisions, rotational grazing of pastures, a complete budget/expense sheets and any other management issue in which the youth had to make a decision for the continued development of his/her heifers.  At the conclusion of the project, youth should address whether or not they were able to achieve the goals that they set at the start of the project.  These records will be judged on their completeness and exactness during the contest year.  This component of the contest will be worth 30%.
• Interview:  A committee of judges will interview the exhibitor on their individual production practices.  The exhibitor will give a 10-15 minute presentation (can use PowerPoint or other visuals) to summarize his/her heifer development project.  This presentation can include anything relevant to the contestant’s project (goals for project and if they were accomplished, pictures to illustrate the project, etc).  Each exhibitor will then answer questions from the committee in regard to their project, such as the process used to select the heifers, record keeping system used, nutrition program, bull used for breeding purposes, health records and any production practices utilized by the exhibitor during this contest.  This component of the contest will be worth 50%.

The criteria that will make up each category will be determined by a committee of individuals including, but not limited to, area livestock agents, cattle producers, and extension specialists and cattle association members.  All ties would be broken using the interview score followed by the record book.  The committee of judges for the contest would include the same type of individuals mentioned in this paragraph within Mississippi or in nearby states.

Awards

Awards will be announced when the final results are presented.  The past overall winning individual/team cannot compete in future 4-H/FFA Replacement Beef Heifer Development Contests.  However, if a team of siblings competes, they can declare one (1) person on that team to receive the awards associated with their final placing.  This designation must be made by final record submission or at check-in of the heifers at the contest site.  To fund this project, sponsorship is sought from industry, county cattlemen’s associations, breed associations, and individuals recognizing the value and importance of this contest.  Your tax-deductible donation can be made to the Cattlemen’s Foundation and earmarked for the Heifer Development Project.

Disclaimer: Awards and prizes given each year are subject to change without prior notice and are established on a yearly basis based on sponsorships.

Importance of Project

This contest should provide an authentic experience for youth that choose to participate in this contest.  Not only will youth learn valuable information that they can use for a lifetime, but the cattle industry can benefit as young cattlemen and cattlewomen will be educated producers in the future.  These youth can be a positive influence on their own family’s cattle production system and share their insights with other cattle producers around the state, causing adults to think more about their own management decisions too.

Sponsors

The 4-H/FFA Replacement Beef Heifer Development Contest would not be possible without the support of numerous individuals and businesses.  Our 2015-2016 sponsors include: B&B Cattle Co.; Campo Farms; Carcass Performance Partners Bull Sale – Triple S Simmental; Courtesy Motors, Inc.; Herrington Brothers; McDaniel Farms; Mississippi Ag; Mississippi Simmental/Simbrah Association; Mississippi State University Extension; Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association; American Livestock Insurance; PMCC, LLC; Red Fox Farm; Southeast Mississippi Livestock; Southern Producers Heifer Sale Group; T. Smith Company; and The Wax Company. 

Previous Contest Winners

2015-2016 Contest

1^st – Rustin Anderson, Jones County
2^nd – Claire Harris, Scott County
3^rd – Olivia Branum, Pearl River County
4^th – Danielle Solomon, Marion County
5^th – Amelia Buckley, Covington County
Finalist – Will Watts, Lincoln County
Finalist – Macey Nelson, Pike County
Finalist – Kalyn Smith, Leake County
Finalist – Emma O’Neal, Tate County
Finalist – Colt Prisock, Oktibbeha County
Finalist – Justin Klunk, Pike County
Finalist – Meribeth Hales, Lauderdale County

2014-2015 Contest

1^st – Emily Vowell, Smith County
2^nd – Danielle Solomon, Marion County
3^rd – Justin Klunk, Pike County
4^th – Colt Prisock, Oktibbeha County
5^th – Emma O’Neal, Tate County

2013-2014 Contest

1^st – Jonah Bankston, Pike County
2^nd – Katlyn Harris, Scott County
3^rd – Emily Vowell, Smith County
4^th – J.T. Prisock, Oktibbeha County
5^th – Colt Prisock, Oktibbeha County

2012-2013 Contest

1^st – Will Gibson, Newton County
2^nd – Cameron Crawford, Pike County
3^rd – Cheyenne Ladner, Pearl River County
4^th – Natalie McCormick, Pearl River County
5^th – J.T. Prisock, Oktibbeha County
6^th – Jacob Manning, Forrest County

2011-2012 Contest

1^st – Jimmy Stewart, Stone County
2^nd – Will Gibson, Newton County
3^rd – Lane Gandy, Covington County
4^th – Jacob Stewart, Stone County
5^th – Cameron Crawford, Pike County
6^th – Josh Vowell, Smith County
7^th – Chip Gibson, Lee County

2010-2011 Contest

1^st – Jessica Smith, Pearl River County
2^nd – Corrine Jackson, Webster County
3^rd – Jimmy Stewart, Stone County
4^th – Josh Vowell, Smith County
5^th – Morgan Lane, Stone County
6^th – Morgan Howe, Stone County

2009-2010 Contest

1^st – Arizona Parden, Stone County
2^nd – Josh Vowell, Smith County
3^rd – Corrine Jackson, Webster County
4^th – Tyler Neal, Scott County
5^th – Ty Ladner, Pearl River County
6^th – Daniel Wicker, Franklin County

2008-2009 Contest

1^st – Michael Buckley, Covington County
2^nd – Alan Smith, Pearl River County
3^rd – Chelsea Adams, Marion County
4^th – Bonnie Tartt, Lauderdale County
5^th – Garrett Bond, Stone County
6^th – Cody Maske, Newton County
7^th – Wes Herrington, Jones County
8^th – J.J. Hitt, Calhoun County
9^th – Matthew Baxter, Stone County