Adair County 4-H and FFA members, parents and volunteers worked in beautiful weather Monday, December 26th weighing and tagging beef animals at the Adair County Fairgrounds in Greenfield. The 92 head identified by 27 potential exhibitors at the weigh-in are now eligible to be exhibited at the Adair County Fair scheduled for July 18-22nd, 2012.
Thirteen head were verified for exhibition at the 2012 Iowa State Fair, August 9-19th and for the 2012 AK-SAR-BEN Livestock Show, September 27-30th .
One of the primary purposes of the weigh-in is to gather beginning weights so rate of gain can be calculated. Rate of gain is an important factor in determining the profitability of cattle. To qualify for a blue or purple award, each lead market steer exhibited at the Adair County Fair is required to gain a minimum of 2.3 pounds per day and lead market heifers are required to gain a minimum of 2.1 pounds per day. Junior feeder pen cattle must have an average daily gain of 2.4 or more pounds to qualify for a blue or purple award. The gain along with carcass traits is used to determine the winners of the performance contest sponsored each year by the Adair County Cattlemen. The top individual animals in this contest as well as the pen of cattle that averages the highest retail value per day on feed will be honored.
Youth weighing animals included: Maggie Maas, Casey; Brad Baudler, Matt Jensen, Jennifer Clarke, Joe and Annie Herr, Dustin Ford, and Christine Gross, Fontanelle; Tyler Breheny, Joceline Holliday, and Cole and Cody Tanner, Greenfield; Aaron Comstock, Orient; Gregory and Tyler Ford, Bridgewater; Millie Varley, Jackson Doud, Hailey Gross, Laura Walker, Alexis Shelley, and Jennifer and Grant Dudley, Stuart; Halee Wallace, Heath, Chisum, and Kysa Downing, Creston; and Tessa Mittag, Prescott.
Adair County Cattlemen Board members Roger Tanner, Joe Martin, Marlin Marckmann, Justin Stiens, and Bart Boehm helped with the weigh-in. Bruce Steele served as the official scalemaster. Ralph Lents collected hair samples for DNA testing for 4-H calves verified for 2012 AK-SAR-BEN. Beth Baudler, Fontanelle, took retinal images for cattle verified for the 2012 Iowa State Fair. Gary Schulteis, Adair County Veterinary Clinic, furnished the facilities for taking retinal images and pulling DNA samples. Other volunteers included Bart Mostaert, Carl Ford, Dick Wallace, Doug Wallace, Dan Brownlee, and youth volunteers: Judd Martin, Halee Wallace, and Heath, Chisum and Kysa Downing. The weigh-in was organized by Donna Wallace of the Adair County Extension office.
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