The First Beef Club Weigh-in for the 2023-24 year will be this Saturday, December 9, 2023, from 9:00am-12:00pm at the Shipshewana Auction Barn in Shipshewana, IN on State Road 5. You must be prepared to bring your market animals, including market heifers and commercial heifers to one of our two offered weigh-ins. You only need to bring your animals to one of the two offered dates. Please note a new change this year: the normal loading docks that we use are no longer there as they have remodeled the outside of the barn. We will now load and unload out of the far East side of the barn. You will go in the driveway on the north side of the building like normal and you will pull all the way to the east side of the building. There are now 5 loading docks out there you may back your trailer into. We ask that you keep your trailer there the entire time you are in the barn. You will unload your cattle, get them through the barn and checked in and then reload them in the same dock. We think this we be easier for you all. We will have someone back there to help you understand the new procedure.
Please note: You do not need to bring registered purebred heifers to weigh-in unless you feel you will not be able to get us papers for her by the May 15 deadline. We are asking if you are not 100% sure if you will be able to provide papers for the heifer that you BRING her to one of the two weigh-ins to check her in. We will tag and weigh her in as a commercial heifer, so she is eligible to show at the 2024 fair if she does not get papers. If you provide us with her purebred papers she will be put in that class; if you do not get us papers she will be shown as a commercial heifer. IF YOU DO NOT BRING HER TO ONE OF THE TWO WEIGH INS (if you do not have papers currently) she WILL NOT SHOW AT THE FAIR.
We will not be checking in your purebred heifers on our end other than weighing in the ones that you are unsure if you will get purebred papers on. This is a new change as of last year, you must enter those yourselves into 4-H online as we will not have your RFID and tattoo numbers in our records. YOU MUST turn in a copy of your purebred heifer papers with the RFID written at the top of the paper by May 15, 2024. If we do not receive these papers from you by that date you will be moved to our commercial heifer class (ONLY if you took her to one of the weigh-ins to get tagged. If you did not, SHE WILL NOT SHOW).
We will offer RFID tags if you need them for a charge of $5.00 per head. Please know you really need to work with your breeders to have these placed for you before you come to weigh-in.
We will also offer a pour on wormer for a charge of $5.00 per head.
Please bring small bills to pay if you are needing these items.
Hoof trimming will not be available at this weigh-in.
The second weigh-in date is February 17, 2024. Again, you only need to bring your animals to one of the two offered dates.
You NEED to be enrolled into 4-H Online by January 15, 2024. If you are coming THIS SATURDAY to the weigh-in, YOU MUST PLEASE BE ENROLLED INTO 4H ONLINE before you come. Please make sure you are getting this done. Here is the website:
https://v2.4honline.com/
ALL ANIMALS NEED TO BE ENTERED INTO 4-H ONLINE by MAY 15, 2024.
We would like to congratulate our officer team for the 2024 year!! Welcome them and please let them know if you have any questions as they are a great place to start peer to peer interaction and get help!!
Aidan Bender
David Gingerich
Madison Martin
Miles Nine
Zoie Miller
Lauryn Martin
Mable Post
Lincoln Wogoman
Everyone must complete YQCA training. It needs completed by June 15, 2024. Here are the dates and times you may attend an in person meeting the cost is $3:
January, 22 at 6:30 ECCC
February 5 at 5:30 ECCC
February 13 at 3:30 Fairfield Jr./Sr. High School
February 20 at 6:00 ECCC
March 21 at 6:30 Fair Board Room
April 8 at 6:30 Fair Board Room
April 27 at 10:00 Fair Board Room
May 7 at 6:30 Fair Board Room
There is also an online program.
We suggest that you be working your calves as much as possible. The weekends are a great time as we know you are all busy. As the calves get older this will only become harder as they get bigger, and it is helpful to get them used to you and to get them ready for the fair as soon as possible.
Our goal for you all is to keep you very informed and to make you feel comfortable with all the deadlines we have. We will try our best to have an informational email sent to you the Wednesday before the meeting so you can review it before. There will always be more information provided at the meetings as well. Please note that our usual club meetings are the 3rd Monday of each month at 7:00PM at the fairgrounds.
We also want to invite any MINI 4-H members to the meetings. These meetings are for all of you to learn about the Beef Club as well.
If anyone knows of any families interested in joining our Mini 4-H program, please let us know! They will need to be enrolled into 4-H Online by January 15 as well.
We are so excited to start the new 4-H year with you!! If you know anyone who is interested in the club please let a leader know we would love to talk with them!! If you have any questions about the new year let us know!! This is going to be a great year!!!
If you will be new to our club this year WELCOME!!! Please let us know if you have any questions; we are happy to help and we want to get your experience in the Beef Club started out right!!!
** Here is a great video if you want to review a few clipping tips! Enjoy!**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n7e_hK9BQY
***Check out our Facebook page! Click the Facebook icon in the upper right corner!! While you are there "Like" the page and add your friends!!***
***Send us your Beef Club related photos! We would love to put them up on the website or the Facebook page!!***
***It's not too early to send in T-Shirt designs for this year! Get them to us now so we can have a few to vote on!!***
**Please Learn the 4-H Pledge**
We will recite this before EVERY meeting along with the Pledge of Allegiance.. IT'S IMPORTANT!!
4-H Pledge
I pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking,
my HEART to greater loyalty,
my HANDS to larger service,
And my HEALTH to greater living for my
club, my community, my country, and my world!!
