4-H Animal Lines Newsletters

Nov 1998

4-H Animal Lines

NOVEMBER 1998

Farewell Letter from
Joe Baker.................................................................Page 2
Reminders for 1999 District
& Junior Round-Up Shows.....................................Page 3
Livestock Show Ethics Certification.....................Page 4
Mississippi Holstein Annual Meeting....................Page 4
1998 Mississippi State Fair Results.....................Page 4-13
Feature of the Month - The 4-H
Livestock & Dairy Judging Program.....................Page 14-15
1999 Dixie National Junior Round-Up...................Page 16









DATES TO REMEMBER

November 17 - National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest, Louisville, KY
November 19 - MSU Production Sale, MSU South Farm
November 21 - State Jr. Dairy Bowl Contest, Rankin County Extension Office
December 1 - Ownership deadline on breeding, dairy and hogs for 1999 District & Round-Up Shows
December 1 - District 4-H Horse Show Planning Meeting, Jackson
December 1 - Southeast District Horse Show Planning Meeting, Hattiesburg
December 3 - Northwest District 4-H Horse Show Planning Meeting, Grenada
December 3 - Northeast District 4-H Horse Show Planning Meeting, Tupelo
December 15 - Deadline for nomination forms and computer diskettes on hogs for 1999 District & Round-Up Shows.
December 16 - State 4-H Horse Show Planning Meeting, MSU

Dear Friends and Co-Workers:

This will be the last edition of Animal Lines which I will have a part in, since my retirement was effective October 31st. I can't believe I have really retired! My 32.5 years of service with Extension passed by rather quickly. I have had a great ride in my work -- it has been fun for the most part and very rewarding.

I owe many thanks and appreciation to you, my co-workers. I appreciate the support and cooperation over the years you have given to me and the junior livestock program in Mississippi. I have always admired your dedication and sincerity to your work. I just hope that the youth of this state and their families appreciate what you do for them. I think they do, even though it is often years after being out of the program when they really appreciate their experience with you.

I also appreciate your dedication given to the county, district, and state livestock shows. You always see that everything is done just right and in a manner that is fair to all participants. That is why they keep coming back.

Working with the junior livestock program means that you will have to put in some extra hours along the way, have to work some weekends, and deal with many problems that always seem to come up. At some point you might wonder whether it is all worthwhile. But, just reflect on the goal of the program and the many benefits that youth gain by their participation in a program of this kind. The good outweighs the bad by a great margin. What you do is a great service to youth, the state of Mississippi, and to the Mississippi Extension Service. You should be proud of what you do.

Keep up the good work! Give Gale Chrestman your support and keep the program growing and strong.

Thanks to the Extension Service for letting me work for a great organization and allowing me to work with so many great people.

REMINDERS FOR THE 1999 DISTRICT AND JUNIOR ROUND-UP SHOWS!!

• PURCHASING PROJECT ANIMALS FOR SPRING SHOWS Spring shows will be here soon. Now is a good time to run a final survey of your 4-H'ers to determine if additional purchases are needed, and be locating them. The only ownership deadlines that have passed are for steers and lambs. So all other project animals can still be purchased. Ownership deadlines on project animals for spring shows are:

  Market Lambs	September 1	Beef Breeding	December 1
  Steers	September 1	Commercial Heifers	December 1
  Dairy	December 1	Hogs	December 1

   

• CATTLE REGISTRATION PAPERS FOR JUNIOR SHOWS
  Double check registration papers on breeding beef to be sure they are in proper order. Now is the time to correct any problems. Remember that papers must be in the 4-H'er's name only. Farm names or joint ownership with adults are not acceptable. Don't assume that everything is right - check!

   

• ENTRIES FOR DISTRICT & ROUND-UP SHOWS Now is the time to be getting your entries in order. We will do entries on computer similar to State Fair. You will be getting more information soon about these events.

   

• STEERS AND COMMERCIAL HEIFERS Double check with your 4-H'ers who are exhibiting steers and commercial heifers about horns. All commercial heifers and steers showing at the District and Round-Up Shows must be polled or dehorned, with no scurs or regrowth to exceed 1� inches above the skin.
  Too often, with a poor job of dehorning, regrowth may occur. Now is the time to take off horns or any regrowth to allow for proper healing.
  Registered heifers are not eligible for the commercial heifer show.

   

• HOGS SHOWING AT 1999 DISTRICT AND JUNIOR ROUND-UP SHOWS All market hogs for the 1999 District and Round-Up Shows must be nominated and ear tagged within 15 days after ownership deadline. Below are the dates for deadlines:

  December 1, 1998	Ownership deadline on hogs for 1999 District & Round-Up Shows
  December 15, 1998	Nomination forms on hogs for 1999 District & Round-Up Shows and computer diskette due in the MSU Animal & Dairy Sciences Department

  
  
• Nomination Process for Hogs What you must submit for each hog nominated:
  1. Individual nomination form for each hog. Each nomination form must be complete and signed by the exhibitor, breeder, parent, and supervising Extension Agent or Vo-Ag Advisor.
  2. Official ear tag number - each hog must be tagged with official ear tag for 1999 prior to nomination deadline.
  3. Computer diskette for hogs (will be mailed to you at a later date).
  4. Hard copy of information on diskette (keep a hard copy for your files).

Please let swine exhibitors know about these dates and double check with them to be sure your records are in order and that all market hogs are properly entered. Do not send us nomination forms after deadline date. Please do not wait until the last day to take care of this business.

Order form for hog ear tags and nomination form for hogs were sent to you earlier. If you failed to get this material, please call my office. County Extension Agents or Vo-Ag Advisors must make nominations of hogs under their supervision.

All hogs must be ear tagged (by December 15) and nomination forms must be (duplicate forms as needed) returned to the MSU Animal and Dairy Sciences Department by December 15, 1998. Each hog must have an individual nomination form and form must be complete, including breed information, signed by the breeder, exhibitor, parent and Extension Agent/Vo-Ag Advisor.

• LIVESTOCK SHOW ETHICS CERTIFICATION All 4-H/FFA exhibitors must have had the livestock show ethics training and be certified in order to participate in the 1999 District Shows and Dixie National Round-Up Shows. Exhibitors who were certified for the 1998 shows will not have to go through the training again. However, any new exhibitors will have to be certified. Listed below are the guidelines that any 4-H/FFA exhibitor that has not been certified must adhere to in order to enter District and Round-Up Shows.

1. 4-H/FFA members and parents/guardians must review and become familiar with the livestock CODE of CONDUCT, CODE of ETHICS, and RULES concerning livestock shows in Mississippi.

    

2. CODE of CONDUCT AGREEMENT must be completed by the 4-H/FFA exhibitor and his/her parent/legal guardian. This form will be on two part paper with original copy going to exhibitor and copy maintained in supervising Extension agent/FFA advisor files.

    

3. All 4-H/FFA members and their parents/guardians must use all reasonable efforts to demonstrate ethical practices while involved with their animal projects.

    

4. Extension agent/FFA advisor will issue CERTIFICATION CARDS to exhibitors upon completion of requirements. Exhibitor numbers will be assigned by the supervising Extension agent/FFA advisor. Certification numbers will be the county number, followed by F (for FFA members) or H (for 4-H members), followed by an individual number starting with number 1 for each county 4-H or FFA Chapter. For example, the first 4-H member from Hinds County 4-H would have number 25H-1 or the first FFA member from Raymond FFA would be 25F-1.
   A master list of certified exhibitors will be kept in the 4-H Livestock Specialist Office. Agents and advisors should send any additions for their master list by January 8, 1999. Any new one to: Gale Chrestman, Box 9815, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

    

5. Exhibitors must be certified by January 8, 1999 in order to participate in the 1998 District Shows and Dixie National Round-Up Shows. Exhibitors will be certified until 12-31-2000. Re-certification will be required for 2001.

    

6. Records to be maintained and kept in files of supervising Extension agent/FFA advisor are:
   • A listing of exhibitors completing certification requirements with assigned exhibitor numbers.
   • Copy of CODE of CONDUCT AGREEMENT forms.

    

7. Each exhibitor should receive:
   • Completed CODE of CONDUCT AGREEMENT form
   • Copy of MAJOR LIVESTOCK SHOW RULES IN MISSISSIPPI
   • CERTIFICATION CARD

• MISSISSIPPI HOLSTEIN ANNUAL MEETING
  
  The Mississippi Holstein Annual Meeting will be held on November 21, 1998, at the Rankin County Extension Office at 10:00 a.m. During the annual meeting the winners of the Outstanding Holstein Boy & Girl Contest and the Junior Production Contest will be awarded.
  
  A state Junior Diary Bowl Contest will be held in conjunction with the annual meeting beginning at 9:00 a.m. Again this year you may enter two (2) person teams and more than one team per county is allowed. A practice competition for seniors (4 person teams) will also be conducted, if there is enough interest. Please call the ADS Department at 325-2852, if you have teams participating.

• 1998 MISSISSIPPI STATE FAIR RESULTS The 1998 Mississippi State Fair junior livestock shows were excellent youth events. Participation was down some this year, but nevertheless, it was a good show. Attendance at the shows was great with large crowds on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
  The State Fair was really an outstanding event and "showcase" for the junior livestock program in Mississippi. The number of people involved in these events and the crowds in attendance at the shows were very impressive. The shows ran real smooth, and agents, leaders, parents, and exhibitors are to be commended on their fine cooperation and dedicated work put into this event to make it successful. Congratulations!

Look at the figures below to see the number of State Fair Livestock exhibits in recent years.

We wish to recognize the counties with the most 4-H exhibits in each specie. Congratulations are in order to the following counties.