Dear 4-H Beef Project Member

December 5, 2014

Dear 4-H Beef Project Member,

Enclosed is your 2015 Beef Steer registration form. Please complete and return it by January 5, 2015. Please keep in mind that our office will be closed from December 24th through January 2nd, so please mail or drop off when the office is open. Each 4-H'er is limited to a maximum of ten steers. Please use one form per 4-H'er. Steers cannot be transferred among family members once they are registered and tagged. Tags will cost $5.00 each this year and replacement tags will cost $10.00 each. Registration forms must be in the 4-H Office by Monday, January 5th. 4-H beef steer and heifer projects are open to 4-H'ers age 8 and up as of 1/1/2015.

Purebred steers (Angus, Hereford, & Shorthorn) are required to have breed association registration papers in the child’s name only to show. Be sure that your breed papers have the correct ownership date on them. Remember, you need to own your animals by January 1, 2015. You will need to be sure that you have your breed papers at every show including Beef Field Day. Also, purebred steers need to be tattooed. The tattoo needs to match the registration paper. DO NOT send a copy of the registration papers to the Extension Office.

The Code of Animal Science Ethics will be in effect the entire show season. They are on the back of your registration form. Please be sure that all required signatures are completed. They must be signed in order to participate. As a 4-H'er you are on display for all to see and the example you set is important.

We will be tagging steers on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at the Howard County Fairgrounds. Animals must be halter broken. Tagging, weighing, etc. will be done from 9:00 A.M. until 10:30 A.M. We will be doing one trailer at a time. Please pull in line and wait your turn. This year we will have your animal’s weights to give you after you are finished. We are requesting a parent/guardian to verify the weights and tag numbers prior to leaving the grounds. If there is inclement weather, please call 410-313-1912 after 6 a.m. to listen to a recording regarding any changes (In the event we need to reschedule due to inclement weather, we will tag/weigh the next weekend which is Saturday, January 17th). All steers must be tagged on the 10 th . Make your hauling arrangements now, please. There will be no vet work done on January 10th.

All 4-H beef projects registered to show in Howard County must be housed on your HOME PLACE from January 1st through project termination. You will be required to have written permission for projects to be housed at a location other than your own property. Contact Sheryl at [email protected] so written permission can be obtained. Animals found not to be housed at your home place, without permission will have the eartags removed. Out of county feeding/fitting is not allowed. The Howard County 4-H Extension Faculty and Staff reserve the right to make visits to verify animal locations. Do not jeopardize being barred from 4-H participation!

As in the past, commercial heifers will need to be tagged in order to be shown at county and state 4-H shows. If you have a commercial heifer that you would like to have tagged, you can also bring it on January 10th. If you purchase a commercial heifer later in the winter or spring, it can be tagged at a later date. Remember commercial heifers are heifers that are not able to be registered with a breed association. You cannot have a purebred heifer registered with a breed association in one person’s name/farm name and then register as a 4-H commercial heifer in a different person’s name. Please use a separate registration form to list commercial heifers. In the top right box of the form be sure to check commercial beef heifers. Beef Field Day has already been scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 2015. It is designed to help new 4- H beef project members and for older members to gain experience showing their animals. Participation is MANDATORY for all Junior, Intermediate and First Year 4-Hers enrolled in the beef project.

The Code of Animal Science Ethics is in effect the entire time of the project and includes testing for drug residues. Animals are subject to blood/hair and/or urine sampling and testing at any time. Don't be penalized! Read the label on everything you give to your calves. If it is not approved, don't use it.

REMEMBER

1. Steer registration forms are due in the 4-H Office by Monday, January 5th. Make sure you have both signatures on the form and all parts of the form are completed.

2. Tagging, weighing and hair sampling will be done at the Fairgrounds on Saturday, January 10, 2015 – 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

3. REMEMBER : The Extension Office will be closed for the holidays from December 24th-January 2nd.

4. Don’t wait until the last minute. Mail your papers now!

5. In the event there is inclement weather on the 10th, information about any changes will be available at 410-313-1912 by 6 a.m.

We can always use parent help. PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO VOLUNTEER.

Sincerely,

Sheryl Bennett Extension Educator, 4-H

The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression. For Office Use Check # -

Date Paid -

Howard County 4-H BEEF REGISTRATION TRANSMITTAL FORM 2015

FAMILY NAME

Phone # -

Cell # - ______

E-mail Address - Please return this form with your registration/code of ethics form(s). All monies must be sent in ahead of time. We will not be handling money on the 10th.

Checks should be made payable to: HOWARD COUNTY 4-H EAC In the memo line please write: 4-H Steer Tags

Number of Steers to be tagged (Enclose $5.00 per tag) $______(Lost tags will cost $10.00 EACH)

____ Number of Commercial Heifers to be tagged $______(Enclosed $5.00 per tag)

____ Total Number to be tagged Total amount due $______

MAIL ALL PAPERS TO: Howard County Extension Office Attn: 4-H Steer Registration 3300 North Ridge Rd., Suite 240 Ellicott City, MD 21043

The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.