General Livestock Rules
4-H animals exhibited after the State 4-H animal ID deadline at any show by anyone other than the individual whose 4-H enrollment record is connected to the ID of the animal in Indiana 4-H Online will not be eligible to be shown in the 4-H show. This term/condition does not apply to siblings, who may show each other’s animals at any show during the year without jeopardizing eligibility. 4-H animals that are selected by 4-H Extension Staff or 4-H Adult Volunteers for use in supreme showmanship contests (Master Showmanship, Round Robin, etc.) may be used in those county events without jeopardizing eligibility. This policy applies to all 4-H animal projects. For animal projects without state ID deadlines, the person who enters them in the 4-H show is the equivalent of the owner of the animals.
All Livestock are subject to a health inspection by a veterinarian or other appropriate individual as appoved\required by the Tippecane County Exhibit Association prior to unloading.
Any substitute showman must be a Tippecanoe County 4-H member and approved by the superintendent prior to the show.
Livestock Late Arrivals
Late arrival animals must be approved by the superintendent(s) on an individual basis. All livestock must enter and leave the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds as designated by the fair schedule.
Livestock Early Release
No animals are to leave unless examined by a veterinarian for medical reasons, and then the family must consult with the species’ superintendent, Exhibit Association President (or appointee) and a 4-H Youth Extension Educator. The group will meet with the veterinarian, licensed vet tech, Licensed vet nurse or individual designated by the exhibit association and discuss if an animal needs to leave the grounds early due to medical reasons. A 4-H member, without approval, who chooses to take their animal(s) home prior to the release time will incur the following penalty: 4-Her will not be allowed to participate in the 4-H livestock auction of the current fair and may not be allowed to exhibit in the project area at the next year’s fair.
Exhibitor Eligibility - Quality Programs
In order to be eligible to show livestock at the county and state fair, youth showing Dairy Cattle, Beef Cattle, Sheep, Rabbits, Poultry, Goats, and Swine must complete either Youth Quality Care of Animals training or the 4-H Quality Livestock Care program.
The YQCA Program (Option 1)
This may be done through an online course through yqca.org that will cost $12 per child. According to the YQCA website, “YQCA is designed as an annual education and certification program focused on food safety, animal well-being and character awareness for youth ages 8 to 21 producing and/or showing pigs, beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, goats, rabbits, and poultry. The program has been designed by extension specialists and national livestock program managers to ensure it is accurate, current, and relevant to the needs of the animal industry and shows and is appropriate for youth.”
Instructions for Signing up for your YQCA Training
Go to http://yqcaprogram.org/ and select sign in with your account from last year or create a new one.
When you see the course list, training appropriate for the 4-H member’s age.
Select your payment method.
Repeat for any additional family members.
Complete the online course as prompted.
Return to the course menu and print your certificate you will need this for your county and state fair check in process. The Extension office does not have access to YQCA to see who has completed it.
4-H Quality care of Animals (QLC - Option 2)
Indiana 4-H Quality Livestock Care training was developed with Indiana 4-Hers in mind. This
program is a grassroots initiative formulated and facilitated by Purdue Extension, the Purdue
Animal Science Department, and industry affiliates.
The Indiana 4-H Quality Livestock Care program is a comprehensive training expectation for all
4-H youth participating in beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, meat goats, dairy goats, poultry
and rabbit projects.
The goal of the Indiana 4-H Quality Assurance Training program is to help youth understand
their responsibility in increasing consumer confidence, animal stewardship, and overall gaining
and applying pertinent information and credibility, relating to food systems. The curriculum is
relevant and timely with an emphasis on assisting youth in making their best livestock practices
even better.
Indiana 4-H Quality Livestock Care Training core components and program goals and
expectations will emphasize the importance of care, safety, and youth as industry ambassadors.
The cornerstone beliefs of the training are as follows:
o Animals from youth livestock programs are treated with the utmost care.
o Youth livestock exhibitors are contributing to a safe, wholesome food supply.
o Youth livestock exhibitors are prepared to be ambassadors for animal agriculture.
Livestock Exhibitor Policy
To exhibit beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, meat goats, dairy goats, poultry and rabbits at the county fair and Indiana State Fair, 4-H members must be certified through the Indiana 4-H Livestock Quality Care training or the online Youth for the Quality Care of Animals program. Quality Assurance training must be completed by 4-H members annually. For more information about in-person training in your county, please contact your County Extension Office
Medication Policy
Medication/Supplement Usage: All beef, dairy steers, sheep, swine, goats, llamas, and horse and pony exhibitors will list any medication/supplements given to an animal on a regimented schedule on an Animal Affidavit form. This form may be collected upon unloading of animal(s) at the fair.
4-H exhibitors are expected to follow the federally approved label when using drugs and feed additives. 4-H market animals shall not contain any foreign substance both on the day of the show and at harvest. This includes drugs, steroids, or chemicals greater than standards established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as permissible for sale for consumption as human food. Administration of these compounds must follow these guidelines:
Feed additives must be used according to the label and adhere to the VFD (veterinary feed directive) regulations as prescribed by their veterinarian. Administration in excess of the label is prohibited by law. It is the exhibitor’s responsibility to adhere to prescribed withdrawal times prior to harvest. If the withdrawal time is not met by the time the animal would normally be harvested by the Tippecanoe County Fair, the exhibitor is expected to make other arrangements for harvest.
Exhibitors are expected to use federally-approved drugs to treat sick animals. Sick animals must be reported to the superintendent or 4-H Extensions Educator immediately and the on-call veterinarian for the 4-H fair will be contacted for treatment. Drugs may not be administered to 4-H animal exhibits at the Tippecanoe County Fair except those administered by a veterinarian. All treatments performed or prescribed by a veterinarian must be reported to the superintendent and 4-H Extension Educator prior to administration.
Administration of drugs to enhance gait or reduce lameness disqualifies the exhibit from participation in the Tippecanoe County Fair. Animals too lame to show will be withdrawn.
Any animal displaying signs of illness possibly contagious to humans OR other animals will be sent home immediately.
Deadlines
The proper compliance with established, stated, and published final dates and deadlines are considered an appropriate expectation of 4-H membership. Submitting things on time and following the rules is part of the 4-H learning experience and is considered a reasonable thing to do. Individuals not complying with these expectations may lose awards and privileges. This is especially true in animal projects where ownership, raising, and identification have a specific timeline as part of the project requirements. Members not complying with established and published dates may be denied any premiums or awards for that project.
Animal Ownership: Each 4-H member shall own his/her own 4-H exhibit. Ownership must be in effect on or before the county and state enrollment deadlines and continue until after the show date. For 4-H breeding animals, family corporations and/or partnerships of 4-H members with one or more parents, siblings, grandparents, an aunt, an uncle, a legal guardian is acceptable. For horse and pony, an animal may be leased subject to the approval of both the county 4-H horse and pony committee and respective Extension Educator. Dairy, llamas, and goats may also be leased subject to approval from the project superintendent.
Animal Location: Animals must be cared for by the 4-H member at his or her legal residence except by approval of the individual species superintendent(s).