4-H Agent's Message

The possession deadline is fast approaching! If you haven’t secured your livestock project yet, please do so by November 8th, exception is swine and miniature cattle. Registered animals need to be in the name of the exhibitor, not a parent or farm name.

If you plan to show any market or commercial animals, validation kits should be available soon. The deadline to turn in validation kits and payment is November 8th for all specie except swine. Swine validation kits and payment are due December 4th. No Exceptions! Please note that kits will not be accepted without payment.

Remember to enroll or re-enroll in St. Landry 4-H for the 2021 -2022 year through your school’s 4-H Club, through the St. Landry 4-H Office or 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

If you have any questions please contact the 4-H Office at 337-948-0561 or email me at mrobnett@agcenter.lsu.edu.

COVID-19 Statement

Given the health concerns with COVID-19 there is no guarantee that livestock shows will occur as advertised. With that in mind all livestock show participants and families should note that purchase and/or validation of animals is at their own risk and financial investment.

Dates to Remember

November 8, 2021 - Exhibition Poultry Possession Deadline

November 8, 2021 - Commercial & Market Animal Validation Deadline

All commercial and market animals except swine

November 8, 2021 - Possession Deadline

All breeding animals except swine and miniature cattle

November 15, 2021 - Miniature Cattle Possession Deadline

November 19-20, 2021 - Jim Bowie Junior Livestock Show, Opelousas, La

December 1, 2021 - Rabbit possession deadline

December 3, 2021 - Breeding Swine Possession Deadline

December 3, 2021 - Commercial & Market Swine Validation Deadline

January 21-22, 2022 – St. Landry Parish Livestock Show, Opelousas

January 25-29, 2022 – Acadiana District Livestock Show, Lafayette

February 12-19, 2022 – 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 2021 fall shows or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the 4- H Office.

Jim Bowie Junior Livestock Show

The Jim Bowie Junior Livestock Show will be Friday, November 19^th – Saturday, November 20^th at the Ag Arena in Opelousas. There will be Breeding/Market Lamb and Breeding/Market Goat Show on Friday night and Beef Breeding Show on Saturday. Showmanship will also be included.

Profits from the Jim Bowie Show benefit the St. Landry 4-H Livestock Program and go towards awards for the Parish Livestock Show.

LSU Livestock Show Breeding Animal Possession Procedures

All breeding animals must meet the possession deadlines listed below to be eligible to show in the 2022 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 2021 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.

Mentoring Opportunity

The first year for many livestock families is learning the ins and outs of showing their project, which is why we would like to offer them the opportunity to be mentored by an experienced livestock family (showing the same species).

If you are a new livestock family and would like to take advantage of this opportunity; you are a seasoned livestock family and would like to become a mentor; or if you have questions please contact the 4-H Office.

Special Record Book Awards

Governor's and Superintendent's Awards

1. The governor of the State of Louisiana presents plaques annually to one senior 4-H club member and to one FFA chapter member. The recipients of these plaques are selected on the basis of their overall 4-H club or FFA record book with emphasis on “Outstanding Progress Made in Livestock Production, Including All Phases of Livestock and Poultry.”
2. The state superintendent of education presents plaques annually to one junior 4-H club member and a plaque to one FFA member.
3. Rules for Governor’s and Superintendent’s Awards - 4-HMembers
   1. The member’s 4-H club record book must be submitted to the State 4-H Office by July 3, 2022. One record book may be submitted per parish in both the Governor’s and Superintendent’s Awards Contests.
   2. Contestants must be active 4-H club members at the time record books are submitted.
   3. Winners of the awards must be present at the LSU AgCenter Livestock Show for presentation of the awards.
   4. Any bona fide junior 4-H club member who has previously completed one year of 4-H club work is eligible to compete.
   5. Contestants must not be 14 years of age on January 1, 2022, for the Superintendent’s Awards, and must be 14 and not yet 20 years by that date for the Governor’sAwards.
   6. The Governor’s, Superintendent’s, and C.W. Kennedy Awards will be based on 4-H portfolios with the following criteria: Project Work 40 pts. Leadership 20 pts. Citizenship 20 pts. 4-H Awards 10 pts. Non 4-H Leadership/ Awards 10 pts.
   7. Each of these awards can only be received once.
4. Rules for Governor’s and Superintendent’s Awards - FFA Members
   1. Applicant must be an active FFA member at the time the application is submitted.
   2. Applications must be submitted by January 15, 2021, to the State FFA Office.
   3. Winner of the award must be present at the LSU AgCenter Livestock Show for the presentation of the award.
   4. Any bona fide FFA member who has completed two years of vocational agriculture instruction is eligible to compete.
   5. Applicant must submit his application during his third consecutive year of active membership in the FFA.

The attorney general of the State of Louisiana will present a plaque to one outstanding leader for their livestock and poultry project leadership with 4-H club members. Nomination forms are due in the State 4-H Office by July 3, 2022.

The C. W. Kennedy Memorial Award is presented to the 2nd highest individual record winner in the Governor’s Award Contest.

The awards will be presented at the 2022 State Livestock Show

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.

The next Junior Livestock Association meeting will be Thursday, October 14, 2021 at 5:45 P.M. at the St. Landry Extension Office.

State Fair of Louisiana

October 27 – November 14, 2021

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 September 30, 2021 to avoid late fees!

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