4-H Agent's Message

It is that time of year again when we are gearing up for livestock show season! As you prepare for the upcoming show season, please be sure to read over all information carefully, adhere to all deadline dates, and contact us with any questions.

Currently, the St. Landry Parish 4-H staff are visiting parish schools and conducting open enrollment club meetings. Remember to enroll or re-enroll in St. Landry 4-H for the 2024 -2025 year through 4-H Online.

4-H Online Enrollment

If you are a new livestock exhibitor or a previous exhibitor whose contact information has changed, please fill out the Livestock Exhibitor Form.

Livestock Exhibitor Form

Dates to Remember

October 28-Nov. 17, 2024 - Louisiana State Fair, Shreveport, La

November 22 - 23, 2024 - Jim Bowie Junior Livestock Show

January 10-11, 2025 – St. Landry Parish Livestock Show, Opelousas

January 21-25, 2025 – Acadiana District Livestock Show, Lafayette

February 11-18, 2025 – LSU State Livestock Show, Gonzales

Fall Livestock Shows

Each year, St. Landry Parish 4-H’ers have the opportunity to participate in several local livestock shows and the State Fair of Louisiana Livestock Show. Information is shared with parents and exhibitors through e-mail. It is the responsibility of the livestock exhibitor(s) and parents to complete and turn in entries to the appropriate person(s) by the entry deadline for the given show.

If you need assistance with completing entries for any of the 2024 fall shows or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the 4- H Office.

Jim Bowie Livestock Show

The Jim Bowie Livestock Show will be Friday, November 22, 2024 and Saturday, November 23, 2024 at the Ag Arena in Opelousas, La. Sheep and goats will show Friday, and beef and dairy cattle will show on Saturday. Profits will help purchase awards for the St. Landry Parish 4-H/FFA Livestock Show.

Jim Bowie Livestock Show | Showman

Livestock Terminology

In the livestock program, we use different terms to describe a group of animals, a specie of animals, or whether an animal is male or female. Here are some commons terms you may hear in a livestock program and what they mean:

Cattle (Bovine)

• Bull - intact bovine male
• Cow - mature bovine female that has already produced a calf
• Heifer - young bovine female that has not produced a calf
• Steer - castrated bovine male prior to puberty
• Calf - young male or female bovine under one year of age

Sheep (Ovine)

• Ram - intact male sheep
• Ewe - female sheep
• Wether - castrated male sheep
• Lamb - a sheep under one year of age
• Yearling - an animal between one and two years of age

Goats (Caprine)

• Buck - intact male goat
• Doe - adult female goat
• Wether - castrated male goat
• Doeling - young female goat with no adult teeth
• Yearling - young female goat with 2 - 4 adult teeth
• Kid - a goat under one year of age

Swine / Pigs / Hogs (Porcine)

• Boar - intact male pig
• Sow - a female pig that has already produced a litter of piglets
• Gilt - a female pig that has not yet produced a litter of piglets
• Barrow - castrated male pig
• Piglet - newborn pig

Poultry

• Cock/Rooster - male bird 12 months of age or older
• Hen - female bird 12 months of age or older
• Cockerel - male bird less than 12 months of age
• Pullet - female bird less than 12 months of age
• Broiler - a chicken grown for meat
• Exhibition - birds shown for their outward genetic expression (color patterns, body type, etc.)

Rabbit

• Buck - intact male rabbit
• Doe - female rabbit
• Kit - baby rabbit

LSU Livestock Show Breeding Animal Possession Procedures

All breeding animals must meet the possession deadlines listed below to be eligible to show in the 2025 LSU Shows. Only the exhibitor showing the animal should be listed as the owner on the registration certificate. Any transfer dates or sell dates must be before or by the possession deadline.

Exhibitors must have animals in their possession and under their personal care (and must not be in possession of a custom fitter) after possession dates. The possession requirement covers the period from the date of possession (listed below) to the completion of the state show. If an exhibitor does not have animals(s) in his/her possession during the entire possession period, the exhibitor must turn in a project/hardship form before possession dates. Any exhibitor housing his/her animal on any property other than their own must acquire and have approved a project/hardship form prior to purchase of animal.

LSU Livestock Show Validation Procedures

Animals that are not registered must be validated and in the exhibitor's possession by the dates listed below.

Exhibitor Responsibility

• Animals must be in continuous possession of exhibitor from time of validation until the LSU AgCenter State Livestock Show.
• Exhibitors should request validation kits from agents and Ag teachers as per parish guidelines. Each parish LSU AgCenter 4-H office will supply validation kits to exhibitors upon request.
• Validation will consist of ear tagging animal and pulling a hair sample; hair sample should be placed in a properly identified validation envelope for each animal validated. Validation envelope must be returned to local LSU AgCenter office with validation fee ($7/envelope) by specified deadline. The responsibility of tagging animals and collecting DNA/hair samples will be that of the exhibitor and/or parent. Agents/Ag teachers may be present and can assist.
• Animals previously tagged for the 2024 Louisiana State Fair may utilize the State Fair tag to complete LSU AgCenter State Show validations. All animals must be tagged with an LSU tag or State Fair tag to validate.
• Animals must be validated in either the exhibitors name or in a family name (family consist of parents, legal guardians, brothers, and sisters). When official entry forms are turned in at the parish level, animals validated under family name must be entered in the name of the exhibitor that will show the animal at the Parish, District, and State Shows.

Validation Hardship Statement

District and/or State Show manager must be notified within seven days after the validation deadline to be considered for a validation hardship. After contacting District and/or State Show manager, hardship forms must be immediately filed with supporting material stating hardship. These hardships will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by parish agent, district show manager, and state show manager. Only cases where it is determined to have been unavoidable* will the exhibitor be allowed to validate. This decision will be final and not subject to appeal. *Note: Forgetting to validate by the deadline is NOT an acceptable hardship and will not be considered.

St. Landry Junior Livestock Association

The St. Landry Junior Livestock Association is made up of St. Landry Parish livestock leaders, parents, volunteers, and exhibitors. The association works in cooperation with the parish 4-H Agents to plan and implement educational opportunities, clinics, the Jim Bowie Livestock Show and the St. Landry Parish 4-H / FFA Livestock Show. The association holds monthly meetings that all associated with the St. Landry 4-H Livestock Program are welcome and encouraged to attend.

State Fair of Louisiana

October 28 – November 17, 2024

Be sure to visit the State Fair of Louisiana website at www.statefairoflouisiana.com for a detailed list of rules and regulations! Last day to enter is October 1, 2024 to avoid late fees! Entries must be submitted using the online entry system below.

State Fair of Louisiana Online Registration

Market animal exhibitors must have requested tag and DNA kits through our office prior to State Fair possession dates. If you have not the State Fair will not allow you to show.

State Fair Possession & Validation Deadlines