Pictured is a representative of Jamestown Macadam Inc. (JMI) who purchased a beef steer from Liam Griffith in 2023. Liam is surrounded by fellow 4-H youth, helping to display his successes throughout the week with his steer.
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s 4-H Youth Development Program is excited to announce the 60th Annual Chautauqua County 4-H Meat Animal Sale held at the Warren K. Brown Show Arena on the Chautauqua County Fairgrounds Friday, July 19. The sale begins at noon. This is the 60th consecutive year for the 4-H Meat Animal Sale!
The sale will be hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development program. 4-Her’s across the county have been working hard since October to raise top-quality animals for the annual sale. This year 20 beef steers, 55 hogs, 13 goats, 21 sheep, 43 pairs of chickens and 15 dairy coolers will be available for purchase.
Market animal projects offer youth a unique experience to learn animal husbandry, feed and nutrition, animal terminology, cuts of meat, how to train an animal to lead, and current industry standards for their species. All the hard work is not only found in the barn, however. Youth keep accurate medical, nutrition, and financial records for every animal project. They are also encouraged to market that animal to people in the community so that they are sure to get a fair price for their hard work on sale day. This year, some youth even participated in a Marketing 101 meeting to help improve their marketing skills.
Last year youth also sold dairy coolers. Thanks to our generous buyers making it so successful, there will be 15 dairy coolers being auctioned off again this year. These coolers will be filled with dairy products and coupons. The dairy youth work hard all year with their expensive animals and have a chance to sell their animals’ by-products at the sale.
Are you a first-time buyer at the 4-H Meat Animal Sale? Don’t be shy! Arrive early and walk through the barns to see what animals you may be interested in. If a youth has approached you before the fair, be sure to stop in, say hello, and check on the animal you may be purchasing. Make sure that you get a sale book which lists in order every animal that will be sold during the sale. There are no bidder numbers–simply raise your hand and the auctioneer or a spotter will be happy to take your bid.
Once the gavel falls and you have purchased the animal, head down to the show ring for a photo. After that, you will also be handed a clipboard with your sales receipt. You will need to fill out your contact information as well as processor trucking information for your animal. Once you purchase an animal it stays on display at the fair until Sunday when it is shipped to the processor of your choice. After your photo head into the 4-H Building where you can pay for your animal with cash or check. It’s just that easy!
A small portion of every sale goes to Chautauqua County 4-H programing. 4-H connects youth to hands-on learning opportunities, valuable skills, builds confidence, and can foster bonds and friendships that last a lifetime. For more information about 4-H please visit https://chautauqua.cce.cornell.edu/.