Although the Jackson County Fair won’t begin until the end of July, the work for many exhibitors — especially 4-H’ers planning to exhibit livestock — already has begun.

On March 9, those wishing to participate in the beef and dairy beef contests were invited to bring their animals to the livestock weigh-in scale building at the fairgrounds in Brownstown to get their cattle tagged and identified. It’s one of the earlier events of the fair each year.

Tagging and identifying is incredibly important, said Heather VonDielingen, Jackson County 4-H youth development educator.

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“We’re able to track disease through ID, and since we use different codes for different farms, we can track spread of any disease that would happen,” she said. “We can also reunite lost animals with owners through the ID system.”

The tagging system also is available online, meaning people can download the information about all of the animals entered and competing in the 4-H steer competition.

“In the long run, it probably does far more good, especially when we can track diseases and healthy gains for each animal, than it does harm,” VonDielingen said.

Identification and tagging are done by attaching a plastic clip to the ear of the cow.

“When we tag them, it’s just like a human getting an earring,” Tom Martin said.

The volunteer and fair livestock and auction committee member said tagging the livestock doesn’t hurt them.

“We check to make sure there are no veins, and we’re only piercing the cartilage,” Martin said.

The process of tagging begins with animals being herded by their owners through a shoot system with gates that can be opened and closed.

“It’s going excellent. All the animals are cooperating,” Martin joked as a 900-pound cow stopped in the middle of the chute gate.

One chamber contains a scale for measuring weight. The animal’s initial weight is recorded and used at the end of the fair for the overall gains for that part of the steer and heifer awards.

“It’s important that we take the weights at the start of the season so we can figure out how the kids are doing with their animals,” Martin said. “They take care of them through the winter and spring season, and that’s important.”

Martin said weigh-ins show which animals are making the best use of vitamins, minerals and feed to produce the largest growth for the animals.

“That’s an important skill for these kids to have,” he said.

VonDielingen said the event went smoothly, and she credits the volunteers with much success of the event.

4-H Junior Leader Abby Stuckwisch of Brownstown was among the volunteers.

She helped check in the animals and recorded the information for each.

One of the reasons she decided to work this time with beef is to prevent cross-contamination by promoting biosecurity.

“I usually show swine, and so I don’t want to work with swine because if some disease goes through and I get in contact with them, then I could possibly bring it back to mine,” Stuckwisch said.

She said she would like to learn more about cows and other animals through 4-H, too.

Stuckwisch said she might show beef in the future, but she has some other things to achieve first, hoping to achieve grand champion in sewing first.

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Future ID tagging dates:

• Dairy beef feeder steers: 7 to 9 a.m. April 27
• Sheep and goats: 8 a.m. to noon May 4
• Swine, last names A-M: 5 to 7 p.m. May 7
• Swine, last names N-Z: 5 to 7 p.m. May 9

Anyone interested in volunteering for one of these ID tagging days or wanting information about 4-H may contact Heather VonDielingen at 812-358-6101 or by email at [email protected].

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