Effective for the 2010 Spring LSU Livestock Shows, there will be some entry and validation changes that all livestock exhibitors and parents should be aware of and follow. The possession dates for animals exhibited at the 2010 LSU Livestock Shows has been moved back closer to where it used to be prior to the 2009 show season. All market steers, lambs, goats and hogs as well as commercial beef and dairy heifers, ewes and does must still be validated. This validation is a change from last year. All potential show animals must be tagged and DNA samples taken and submitted by dates listed below for each species. The validation will take place in each parish instead of at regional locations. Exhibitors will still need to bring animals to a central location for this process. At the time of validation, animals must have the show tag in their ear, a DNA sample of hair must be removed and placed in a sealed envelope and the exhibitor information recorded on this envelope. A fee of $4.00 for each animal will be assessed. All market steers, lambs, goats and hogs as well as beef and dairy commercial Heifers, ewes, and does must be validated by the dates listed below for each species in order to qualify to be entered in the 2010 LSU Livestock Shows. This includes Beauregard EXPO, Southwest District and the State Livestock Show. There are no exceptions to this validation process. These animals must be taken to one of two centrally located validation sites for tagging, classification and DNA sampling in Beauregard Parish. One location will be at the Beauregard Parish Fair Grounds in DeRidder and a second location at the South Beauregard School complex in Longville. The proposed validation sites and dates will be as follows:
Steers: will be validated during the week of August 10-15, 2009. August 15 will be the absolute last date to validate market steers for the LSU AgCenter Livestock Show. Beauregard market seers will be validated August 12 or 13.
Beef and Dairy Commercial Heifers, Market Lambs, Commercial Ewes, Market Goats, and Commercial Does will be validated and classified November 2-7, 2009. November 7 will be the absolute last date to validate commercial beef and dairy heifers, market lambs, commercial ewes, market goats and commercial does for the LSU AgCenter Livestock Shows. Beauregard validation of these species is tentatively set for November 6 and 7. Validation sites will be Beauregard Parish Fair Grounds and South Beauregard School Complex. More specific dates and times will be announced at a later date.
Market Hogs will be validated during the week of December 1-5, 2009. December 5 will be the absolute last date to validate market hogs for the LSU AgCenter Livestock Show. Tentative Beauregard validation dates for market hogs will be December 4 and 5. Validation sites will be Beauregard Parish Fair Grounds and South Beauregard School Complex. More specific dates and times will be announced at a later date.
General validation guidelines:
· All animals requesting validation must either have a valid official La State Fair tag fixed in animal's ear or must be tagged with an official LSU AgCenter tag when hair samples are collected.
- All validations must be conducted in the presence and observed by agents/ag teachers.
- Any animals validated for The State Fair of Louisiana 2009 shows and intends to be exhibited at the 2010 LSU State Show will be required to attend an LSU Ag Center validation site and be validated for the 2010 LSU AgCenter State Livestock Show.
· Each parish LSU AgCenter staff will designate a central location or central locations where market and commercial animals will be assembled and validated. (Parishes are encouraged to work across parish lines and in conjunction with other parishes to complete the validation process and maximize efficiency of the process.)
· All animals requiring validation must be brought to a location designated by parish LSU AgCenter staff.
· Only validated market and commercial animals will be eligible to be exhibited at LSU AgCenter district and state shows.
· Animals must be validated in either the exhibitor's name or in a family name (family consist of parents, legal guardians, brothers and sisters); if validated in a family name, when official entry forms are turned in at the parish level the animal validated must be entered in the name of the exhibitor who will show the animal at the district and state livestock show.
· The responsibility of tagging animals and collecting DNA/hair samples will be that of the exhibitor and/or parent. Agents/ag teachers must be present and can assist.
· Market and commercial animals will not be officially classified at these locations; however, agents/ag teachers will assist exhibitors in determining correct classification for entries. (Official classifications will take place at the State Show; district show managers will have the right to reclassify any animals that are obviously classified incorrectly at district shows.)
· Beauregard exhibitors should request tags and DNA kits through the Beauregard 4-H office by Friday, August 28, 2009. Agents will request tags and validation kits for market and commercial animals from District Show managers no later than September 1, 2009.
Hardship Statement
District and/or State Show manager must be notified within approximately 48 hours of the end of validation if an unforeseen emergency or act of God has prohibited exhibitor from attending validation. After contacting district and/or state show manager hardship forms must be immediately filed with supporting material and stating hardship. The deadline for making notifications and filing hardship are August 17, 2009, 4:30 p.m. for market steers; November 9, 2009, 4:30 p.m. for dairy, beef, sheep and goat species; and December 7, 2009, 4:30 p.m. for market hogs. 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.
In Beauregard Parish we plan to conduct tagging in two different locations for all species. One validation will be conducted at the Beauregard Parish Fair Grounds, a second location will be held at the South Beauregard School complex. Only validated animals will be eligible to be exhibited at LSU AgCenter district and state shows. The last possible date to validate market steers is August 15. Market lambs, goats, commercial beef and dairy heifers, commercial ewes and does will be November 7. Market swine will be December 5, 2009. Those new and seasoned 4-H and FFA members wishing to show any of the above mentioned livestock in the 2010 LSU shows must contact Mike LaVergne at the Beauregard 4-H office at 463-7006 by Friday, August 28, 2009, with the number of market and commercial animals of each species to be entered. This will allow for the ordering of the correct number of tags and DNA sample kits by the due date. Those with questions concerning this new process may contact Mike LaVergne at (337) 463-7006 or mlavergne@agcenter.lsu.edu.