Youth Livestock Project

🐖🐄🐑Youth Livestock Project🐖🐄🐑

This page applies to Youth Livestock project members that are enrolled in 4-H, FFA or other approved Dodge County youth groups. Pages include Youth Livestock Education Opportunities, Market Livestock Identification (identifying animals for the Market Beef, Market Sheep, and Market Swine projects), information about the Dodge County Meat Animal Sale Committee, and YQCA.

Market Livestock Identification

Dodge County Junior Fair Market Livestock Identification
April 12, 2025 – May 2, 2025 at 4:30 PM

Identification Packet Pick-Up:

Saturday, April 12th

10 AM – 12 PM

MAS Office at the
Dodge County Fairgrounds

If you can’t make this date and time, you can have another family sign for your tags/DNA kits.

Premise ID’s: What they are and how to get one (REQUIRED for most species)

ALL ANIMALS WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE TAGGED AND DNA KITS TURNED IN BY 4:30PM MAY 2ND 2025 TO THE EXTENSION OFFICE IN JUNEAU.  (NO EXCEPTIONS ON DATES AND TIME)

ONLINE FAIR SIGN UP IS MANDATORY.

Livestock identification will be available for pick up TUESDAY, April 15, 2025, until Friday, May 2, 2025, at the Dodge County Extension office.

Please refer to Meat Animal Sale Rules and Dodge County Junior Fair Exhibits by Departments for questions.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your Dodge County MAS Representatives. Please see the MAS Committee List under MAS | Meat Animal Sale on this page for that information.

You may also contact Marie Witzel, Dodge County Youth Development Educator at 920-386-3790 or marie.witzel@wisc.edu

Junior Market Beef Identification | Dodge County Fair

WI State Fair US 840 tags may be used in place of Dodge County tags, however you will need to request and submit a DNA sample for each animal including the Google Exhibitor/Family Registration Form as outlined in the identification instructions. 

FEEDER BEEF Identification | Dodge County Fair

Junior Market Sheep Identification | Dodge County Fair

WI State Fair US 840 tags may be used in place of Dodge County tags, however you will need to request and submit a DNA sample for each animal including the Google Exhibitor/Family Registration Form as outlined in the identification instructions. 

Junior Market Swine Identification | Dodge County Fair

WI State Fair US 840 tags may be used in place of Dodge County tags, however you will need to request and submit a DNA sample for each animal including the Google Exhibitor/Family Registration Form as outlined in the identification instructions. 

Wisconsin State Fair DNA Identification Program

Wisconsin State Fair DNA Identification Program

If an animal loses its tag, immediately TEXT one of your Dodge County Meat Animal Sale Committee Beef, Sheep or Swine Representatives for tag replacement.
The committee would prefer you contact them via text message along with a photo of the animal. See the Meat Animal Sale Committee List under the “MAS | Meat Animal Sale” section of this page.

YQCA – Youth for the Quality Care of Animals

YQCA Program

Your YQCA certification must be current and valid at the time of the Dodge County Fair. YQCA certifications are only valid for one year after completion with the exception of the test out option. Please print out certificate after completion and attach to the Dodge County Livestock Project Member Activity ‘Orange Card’.

  • YQCA is required, and certification must be current and valid.
  • YQCA does NOT count as an educational point.

Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is a national multi-species quality assurance program for youth ages 8 to 21 with a focus on three core pillars: food safety, animal well-being, and character development.

YQCA includes information for youth showing the following food animals: pigs, beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, goats, market rabbits and poultry.

YQCA is available as an online program for youth everywhere in the United States. YQCA in-person workshops may be available to youth where state 4-H or FFA offices or state/national livestock organizations have partnered to have qualified trainers offer in-person workshops.

All youth who wish to exhibit Beef, Dairy, Goats, Poultry, Rabbits, Sheep, or Swine will be required to complete YQCA training.

There are three options for completing YQCA training:

Option 1: Complete YQCA on-line training

Cost: $12 per youth per year

Designed for youth ages 8-21, each year the participant will receive unique curriculum depending upon the age of that youth. Each year’s lesson is designed to provide an estimated 60 minutes of education. The online program includes three components for each topic (food safety, animal well-being, and character development). Each topic consists of a knowledge builder, skills lab and quiz, and are designed specifically for each age group. A pass rate of 80% has been established for each quiz with students being able to repeat the module if needed.

Youth can complete this training at their convenience.

Option 2: Complete YQCA in-person training

Cost: $3 per youth per year (YQCA site) AND $5 Family Learning Day Fee (Extension Office)

In-person YQCA training will be held at the Dodge County 4-H Family Learning Days in February & March. You must register with Family Learning Day. See Dodge County 4-H County Activities for Family Learning Day registration and visit https://yqcaprogram.org/ to register. You must register in and pay for BOTH if completing this option.

  • For instructions go to the “Youth and Parents” tab and you will find the directions to register. The document showing step-by-step instructions will be under the red oval “Instructor-led training help document”
  • You will need to register as a family and then add each child that will be attending.  Please note your login ID and password. Once registered,  you will want to navigate to the in person training.  Find the training you are interested in, and select that. You will need to pay the $3.00 fee online. You will also need to complete the pre-test before attending the in-person training.
  • After attending the training, you will need to log back in, complete the post-test, and print the certificate to attach to your orange card. (Use your login ID and password from registration.)
YQCA Help Video for Instructor-Led Training & Certification

Option 3: Test out of your YQCA level

Cost: $36 or $48 depending on age bracket

This option is for youth 12, 15, or 19 years old as of January 1st. The test out option will only be good for 3 or 4 years depending on your age bracket.

MAS | Meat Animal Sale

Email: dodgecountymas@gmail.com

Dodge County Meat Animal Sale (MAS) Committee
Purpose, Bylaws and Members

  • To provide 4-H members, FFA members and Dodge County Youth Organization members an opportunity to have market livestock projects evaluated.
  • To provide incentive and to encourage greater participation in livestock feeding and production projects.
  • To recognize Youth Project Members who do quality work in selecting, feeding, and showing livestock projects.
  • To teach a greater understanding of meat animal evaluation, animal husbandry, ethical care and treatment of animals, and showmanship.
  • To establish rules and enforce compliance of regulations for participation in the Dodge County Meat Animal Sale.
  • To examine and act upon issues and concerns expressed by Youth Project Members and people affiliated with a Dodge County 4-H, FFA or Youth Organization.
  • MAS Bylaws (PDF, 4 pages, 277 KB)
  • Meat Animal Sale Rules
  • Dodge County Meat Animal Sale Committee 2024-2025 (PDF)
  • Understanding Your Checkoffs (Explanation of Auction Check) (PDF, 2 pages)

About the Dodge County Meat Animal Sale – For Buyers

Thank you for your interest in, and support of, our county livestock youth and their meat animal sale!

Our sale is Thursday evening, during our county fair. A Pre-Sale Buyers Luncheon and Awards & Recognition Announcements precede the sale. The sale begins promptly at 6:30 PM. Our sale order is: 25 beef, 14 sheep, 25 hogs then repeat rotation again with 25 beef, 18 sheep and 25 hogs. Champions will sell at the beginning of the first rotation as that specie comes to the sale floor.

If you registered as a buyer at last year’s sale, we will send you a mailing around early August with details for the evening of the sale, including free tickets to enter the Fairgrounds. If you have not attended our sale, but would like to, please contact the Dodge County UWEX Office at 920-386-3790 to be added to our mailing list.

Learn More About the Dodge County Meat Animal Sale (PDF, 3 pages, 34 KB)

About the Dodge County Meat Animal Sale – For Youth

Dodge County Meat Animal Sale Invite Information –
email to: dodgecountymas@gmail.com

Information Needed to Send Invitation:
Exhibitor Name
Club/Chapter/Group
Buyer’s Name
Business Name
Address
City/State/Zip
Buyer Phone Number

  • Review the Dodge County Junior Fairbook, located at the Dodge County Junior Fair webpage, for all Junior Livestock Show and Sale Rules.
  • The Dodge County Meat Animal Sale is held at 6:00 PM on Thursday night of fair week.
  • To be considered for the Meat Animal Sale, junior market animals must be identified in spring.
  • At Online Fair Entry time, livestock animals must be entered in the correct market class to be considered for the sale.
  • Youth (or their parents) must attend either the Pre-Sale meeting (usually in June) or the Post-sale meeting (usually in September). These are the only meetings which parents may attend for their children.
  • Youth who wish to participate in the sale must meet MAS educational requirements (explained below). Youth must attend the event to earn the educational point – parents may not earn educational points for their children.
  • Project Youth must have current Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) certification.
  • Meeting attendance is recorded on the Livestock Project Member Activity Card (found on Forms page).
  • All required educational paperwork must be turned in at the set due date. Required paperwork includes:
    • Completed Livestock Project Member Activity Card, including Premise ID, for each youth.
    • YQCA Certificate
  • For swine, completed and signed health papers must be turned in at county fair weigh-in.

Educational Points as Required by the MAS Committee

  • Pre- and Post-Sale Meetings, Educational Meetings, and YQCA classes are listed on our Dodge UWEX Calendar. Be sure to review the 4-H Calendar and call the Dairy and Livestock Educator with any questions at 920-386-3790.
  • “3” points are required and can be obtained by attending educational livestock events.
  •  AT LEAST 2 of the points need to be earned at a county or state educational event.  For some youth who have no means to have “local club” learning events, it is always possible to have all 3 or more points obtained from county or state events.
  •  If an “out of county” event is where a point will be obtained, use the back of the card to explain the event AND obtain a signature that can be identified, and a phone number, so a call may be given if the committee has questions.
  • No educational event may give a youth more than 1 educational point (even if another county’s youth obtain 2+ points for such an event).
  • Youth attending college may obtain a point for agricultural events attended by obtaining approval from the MAS committee.

Wisconsin State Fair Livestock ID

WISCONSIN STATE FAIR DNA IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM

Wisconsin State Fair 840 Ear Tags and DNA Sample Envelopes

Animal Health Regulations | Fairs & Shows in Wisconsin

This is a summary of animal health requirements for fairs, shows and exhibitions only.

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s  Animal Health Regulations Fairs and Shows in Wisconsin

Youth Livestock Educational Opportunities

Educational Event Verification Form

Educational Opportunities

Total of 3 Points along with attendance at a Pre or Post Sale Meeting and YQCA Certification.

Educational points as required by the Dodge County MAS Committee

  • Attend Dodge County Pre-Sale and Post-Sale Meetings, Dodge County Youth Livestock Project Educational Meetings, Wisconsin Youth Livestock Program Educationals, and Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) classes or events listed on the Extension Dodge County Youth Livestock webpage or MAS calendar.
  • Total of three (3) points with the requirement of Pre-Sale or Post-Sale attendance and YQCA.
  • Points can be obtained by attending educational livestock events.
  • AT LEAST TWO (2) of the points need to be earned at a county or state educational event.  For some youth who have no means to have “local club” learning events, it is always possible to have all 3 or more points obtained from county or state events.
  • If an “out of county” event is where a point will be obtained, use the back of the card to explain the event AND obtain a signature that can be identified, and a phone number, so a call may be given if the committee has questions.
  • No educational event may give a youth more than 1 educational point (even if another county’s youth obtain 2+ points for such an event).
  • Youth attending college may obtain a point for agricultural events attended by obtaining approval from the MAS committee.

Recommendations to achieve Livestock Project Member Activity points

  • Attend a county or state meeting; if state webinar-list title, date and presenter of meeting, to have zoom form completed
  • Carcass Shows
  • After Fair Barn Cleanup
  • Give a demonstration at your local club on your livestock project, signed by club or livestock project leader
  • Attend a neighboring county education meeting, need name/phone number of leader (only 1 point)
  • Fitting or Showing Clinic, need name/phone number of leader if not hosted by MAS
  • Meat Judging, Livestock Judging or Exhibition/Showing, need name/phone number of leader, can include CDE’s and petting zoo for FFA
  • World Beef Expo, WI Sheep & Wool Festival – get signature/phone number of a leader
  • Youth working with a breeder, Breeder to sign/phone number, need form completed
  • Pasture Walks, need contact information
  • Youth attending college may obtain only 1 point for enrollment/participation in an animal/livestock class attended by obtaining approval from the MAS committee.
  • *Working in a food booth, WWA, Farm Bureau, Brat Fry – NO! Not a point for livestock
  • Signature authority (non-family member), MAS Board members, Livestock Education Committee Members, (For local meetings: Club Leaders or Adult Project Leaders)

Schedule of Dodge County Livestock Project Educationals

February & March | 4-H Family Learning Days | Dodgeland School – See County Activities site for the latest updates & details.

April 22, 2025 | 6 PM | Dodgeland School – Topic: TBD

May TBD | Dodge Co Fairgrounds Sheep Arena – Herdsmanship, Showmanship & Barn Tours

June TBD | Fair entries due. See Dodge County Junior Fair site for the latest updates & details.

June 30, 2025 | 7 PM | Pre-Sale Meeting | Location: Dodge County Fairgrounds. *Required. Must attend Pre-Sale Meeting for upcoming Fair OR have attended the Post-Sale Meeting last year.

July TBD | Project Member Activity Cards due (see calendar on main 4-H site for latest updates.)

Wisconsin Youth Livestock Program – Animal Sciences Virtual Education Series

Each year, Bernie O’Rourke, Extension Youth Livestock Specialist hosts webinars that will be offered February through April from 6:30-7:30 p.m.  This is available for all youth grades 3-13.  The session will be recorded and available on the Wisconsin Youth Livestock Program’s YouTube channel.  This is offered in connection with the University of Wisconsin Madison Animal & Dairy Sciences Department, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and Division of Extension. Learn more about the events & Register.

4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl and Skillathon (March)
Partnership with WI 4-H youth development. More information & registration deadline here.

Questions, contact Bernie O’Rourke, UW- Madison Animal & Dairy Science Extension Youth Livestock Specialist at (608) 263-4304 or borourke2@wisc.edu.

Archived webinars can be found here.

Meat Animal Sale Scholarship

Dodge County Meat Animal Sale Scholarship

The Dodge County Meat Animal Sale (MAS) Committee has budgeted funds, of which they may give scholarships to any Dodge County 4-H or FFA member in good standing who is a graduating high school senior through one year beyond high school graduation (12th or 13th grade on fair entry tags). Applicants must be enrolled or planning to enroll in any post-secondary education for the upcoming year.

Scholarships will be awarded depending on applications received. There will be a minimum of 4 scholarships for no less than $1,000 each. Scholarships will be distributed after proof of successful completion of their Fall semester. Scholarships will be administered through the MAS Scholarship Committee.

Any questions please contact: masscholarshipcommittee@gmail.com

MAS Scholarship Application

Ag Career Jeopardy Games

Resources

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