Delaware State Fair Livestock Tagging Dates for Market Animals
All market animals must be identified with a Delaware State Fair ear tag in order to be eligible. This applies to market steers, feeder calves, market lambs, market goats and market hogs. Again this year feeder calves must be tagged! Breed animals do not need to be tagged.
May 5- 9:00 am-11:00 am- Sussex County- REC (no cattle)- minimum pig weight 75 lbs
May 5- 9:00 am- 11:00 am- NCC- Newark- Cook Farm- minimum pig weight is 75 lbs
May 12- 9:00 am-11:00 am- Kent County- DSF- minimum pig weight 80 lbs
May 18- 6:00 pm-9:00 pm- Kent County- DSF- Livestock Show- minimum pig weight is 85 lbs (no Saturday tagging)
May 22- 5:00 pm- 8:00 pm- Kent County- DSF- FINAL TAGGING minimum pig weight is 85 lbs
**Sussex County does not have the ability to weigh steers or feeder calves so if you want your steer to be weighed at the time of tagging, it must be brought to one of the Delaware State Fair tagging dates. To be eligible for the Delaware Farm Bureau Rate of Gain Contest, you must weigh and tag at the location for your county.
PQA/YQCA Certification
All Junior Market Hog Exhibitors are required to have a current PQA/YQCA certification in order to exhibit a market hog at the Delaware State Fair. The national Youth Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) training is a program that was put together by the National Pork Producers Association. Commercial hog producers across the county have been required to have this certification since 1999 in order to market their hogs. This program is currently in transition to a new Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) program which will cover all livestock species for all youth ages 8-21 nationwide. After June 1, the old Youth PQA program will cease to exist and the YQCA program will be the only option for certification. The adult PQA certification program will continue.
For 2018, the Delaware State Fair Swine Department will accept either the PQA or YQCA certification. There are currently two options for obtaining YQCA certification. The in person class certification option is open to any age but youth under the age of 8 (computed as of Jan 1 of the current year) must have a parent attend the class with them. Youth YQCA certification received through the classroom option is valid for one year. Youth ages 8-21 as of January must register through the YQCA website … and pay a $3.00 fee online that goes directly to YQCA even if you are attending an in person training. This must be completed prior to coming to the training.
In addition, there is an online YQCA training and certification option for youth ages 8-21. You must pay a $12.00 fee online that goes directly to the YQCA program in order to complete the online training. For youth age 12 and under, parents are required to register their youth on the YQCA website. Youth should take the online module that corresponds to their age as of January 1 of the current year. Online Adult PQA certification is now an option for parents of youth 5-7 as of January 1 if it is a parent’s first time receiving a PQA certification. There is no charge for this certification. Please contact Susan Garey if you would like to be granted access to the online Adult PQA certification training to cover youth ages 5-7.
The following local YQCA class training dates have been scheduled for this spring:
May 10, 2018 – Sussex County YQCA Classroom Training- Carvel Center 6:30-8:00 pm
June 4, 2018- FINAL YQCA Classroom Training- Kent County Extension Office- 6:30-8:00 pm
You may attend class or testing in any of the locations. If you plan on attending any of these sessions, please RSVP to Susan Garey (302)730-4000 or truehart@udel.edu at least three days prior so that there will be adequate materials. If there are no registrations in advance, the class will be canceled. Please contact Susan Garey if you have any questions or concerns in regards to PQA/YQCA certification needs as we transition to this one uniform national program.
NCC Hosts 4-H/FFA Livestock Classic- ENTRY DEADLINE MAY 7- Late entry fees are double!
New Castle County 4-H and FFA Livestock Volunteers are hosting the 4-H and FFA Summer Livestock Classic on June 9, 2018 at the Delaware State Fair. This event is open to any 4-H or FFA member in Delaware and the eastern shore counties of Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Dorchester and Talbot counties. Classes offered include showmanship and market classes. Entry information and a class list are posted on the state 4-H animal Science website http://extension.udel.edu/4h/projects-activities-for-members/4-h-animal-science/
Please note entries must be postmarked by May 7 to avoid late fees.
2018 Delaware 4-H Avian Bowl Rules, Entry Information and Study Sections
The rules and guidelines along with the study sections and entry information for the 2018 Delaware 4-H Avian Bowl held during the Delaware State Fair has been posted to the State 4-H Animal Science web page. Entries are due via the Delaware State Fair website by June 1. Visit https://cdn.extension.udel.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/28103102/Delaware-4-H-Avian-Bowl-Rules-and-Guidelines-2018.pdf for the complete rules and study sections.
Poultry Behavior and How to ‘Read’ a Flock- Free Webinar June 5- 3:00-4:00 pm
A discussion will be held on how poultry behave the way they do. From very young to older birds, there are traits that can, at times, work against you. Tips on resolving some issues you can spot in a flock will be discussed. Dr. Gregory Martin, a poultry extension educator from the Pennsylvania State University will be presenting. Visit https://learn.extension.org/events/3380 for more information and to register for the free webinar. If you register you will have access to the recording of the webinar even if you cannot attend during the actual broadcast.
Harness Horse Youth Foundation Announces Summer Camp Programs
Spring is just around the corner. That can mean only one thing, the Harness Horse Youth Foundation summer camp schedule and applications are now available. Complete details are at http://hhyf.org/schedule-applications.
The HHYF Trottingbreds and staff will kick off the season with a bang on July 4-7 in Goshen, N.Y. with the Leadership Program and then spend another week with the introductory level July 10-14 also based at Goshen Historic Track. The next stop will be The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono July 17-21 and then on to Gaitway Farm on July 24-28. The introductory level finals will again take place at The Meadowlands on Hambletonian weekend Aug. 3-4. There will not be a Harrington camp this year.
Camp registration fee is $150, which includes meals, materials and lodging where applicable.
All introductory level events are open to any interested young person (no horse experience necessary) between the ages of 12 and 14. The Leadership Program is designed for former participants of HHYF events or those age 15 and up with at least some harness racing experience.
Camp applications are due May 15.
Additional dates will be announced as they are added. For questions or to find more details visit www.hhyf.org or e-mail Executive Director Ellen Taylor, ellen@hhyf.org. New in 2018, the Delaware Valley Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) is offering one scholarship to attend a camp of their choice to one lucky camper. Please see the USHWA scholarship flyer in this issue of the 4-H newsletter.
The Harness Horse Youth Foundation is a charitable 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing young people and their families educational opportunities with harness horses in order to foster the next generation of participants and fans. The Foundation has been making a difference in young people’s lives since 1976, and its programs include interactive learning experiences with harness horses, scholarship programs, and creation and distribution of educational materials. For more information on opportunities through HHYF, or to support its mission, go to www.hhyf.org.
Tufts University Adventures in Veterinary Medicine Camp
Adventures in Veterinary Medicine is a fun and engaging career exploration program for middle and high school students who are interested in pursuing a veterinary career. They invite 4-H youth to apply to AVM and discover if this exciting career is right for you!
AVM attendees will explore the wide variety of opportunities available within veterinary medicine and see first-hand what attending veterinary school is really like. Programs are available for middle school, high school, college and adult age groups. Sessions include lectures by Tufts faculty and vet students, interesting laboratories, demonstrations, and hands-on activities with animals. AVM is held on the beautiful campus of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, located about 40 minutes west of Boston in North Grafton, MA.
Applications for summer 2018 are now available! For more information on the program, including dates, eligibility, and tuition please visit the AVM website or contact us at AVM@tufts.edu.
Invitational Livestock Judging Contest Friday, June 8th– 6:30 pm
The Kent County 4-H Livestock Advisory Committee along with the NCC 4-H Livestock Show Committee and Delaware FFA will be hosting an invitational livestock judging contest Friday, June 8th beginning at 6:30 pm in the Kent building on the Delaware State Fairgrounds. New Castle, Kent and Sussex County 4-H will be using this as their county qualifier for livestock judging at the Delaware State Fair. If you are from another 4-H group or an FFA Chapter you are welcome to come and utilize the classes as a workout. Official placings will be provided to everyone but you must bring your own judging supplies and provide your own listener for oral reasons if you are from FFA or an outside 4-H group. Awards will be presented prior to the start of the livestock show on Saturday morning.