4-H Agent's Message

Possession and validation deadlines will be here before you know it! If you haven’t entered your livestock into 4-H Online yet, please do so by November 11th, 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 are available at the St. Landry 4-H Office. The deadline to turn in validation kits and payment is November 11th for all specie except swine. Swine validation kits and payment are due December 2nd. No Exceptions! Please note that kits will not be accepted without payment.

Remember to enroll in St. Landry 4-H through 4-H Online for the 2024 -2025 year.

4-H Online Enrollment

All livestock exhibitors should have either the St. Landry 4-H Livestock club or their FFA chapter added to their club list on 4-H Online. It can be added during enrollment or you can contact the office or email me and I will add it for you.

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

Sincerely,

Megan Plattsmier

4-H Extension Agent

St. Landry Parish

Add Animals to 4-H Online Profile

Any animals eligible to show in the 2025 LSU Livestock Shows, must first be added to the 4-H member's 4-H Online profile by the possession and validation deadlines.

If you have completed your 4-H enrollment, please begin adding your animal information to 4-H Online. More information can be found through the link below.

Animal Entry for 4-H Online and FairEntry

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 Junior Livestock Show

The Jim Bowie Junior Livestock Show will be Friday, November 22nd – Saturday, November 23rd at the Ag Arena in Opelousas. There will be Breeding/Market Lamb and Breeding/Market Goat Show on Friday night and Dairy Show 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.

Jim Bowie Livestock Show | Showman

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.

Parish and LSU Broiler Chick Orders

Parish Broiler Order - Deadline Monday, October 28, 2024

We will have a parish broiler order separate from the LSU State Show broiler order. If you plan to also show at the state show, you will need to place another broiler order with the State show order form. Broilers ordered for the parish show can ONLY be shown at our parish show.

The deadline to turn in your order is Monday, October 28th, with a tentative pick-up date of December 4th. Chicks are $0.55 per chick.

Please email mplattsmier@agcenter.lsu.edu for an order form.

LSU State Show Broiler Order - Deadline November 25, 2024

The 2025 LSU Junior Broiler Show will be a straight run show. Exhibitors will be allowed to show one pen of pullets and/or one pen of cockerels. An entry must consist of three broilers.

All broiler chicks for this show must be ordered through the St. Landry 4-H Office. Please complete the broiler chick order form and submit payment no later than November 25, 2024. The cost will be $.75 per chick. Only orders that have completed the order form and submitted payment by November 25, 2024 will be included in the parish total.

Please email mplattsmier@agcenter.lsu.edu for an order form.

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