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November 2019

f you haven’t re-enrolled for the 2019 - 2020 4-H year yet please sign in to your 4honline account and get registered, especially if you are ordering project materials. Be sure to sign up for the appropriate level for each project and note any age requirements. If you are signing up for a project for the first time be sure to select the required project manual from the drop down menu. The Council and your club share the cost of required manuals for up to 5 projects. Additional resources may be purchased by individual members.

If you are interested in being a project leader or know of someone who is please contact the Extension office so you can get the necessary forms to fill out. If you are interested in having project leader trainings or have any questions about the program please feel free to contact the Extension office. 

Tiber 4-H

Tiber 4-H met on Sunday October 13th. Since Achievement Night was cancelled, members were given year recognition pins, completed record books and Awards.

Members also presented a special 4-H quilt to Steffani Wanken in appreciation for all the years she has served as Organizational Leader. Jess Backen and Tara Diemert have volunteered to be Co-Organizational Leaders for Tiber.

Livestock Quality Assurance Training Needed

4-H members that are planning to participate in the 4-H market program at the Marias Fair must receive livestock quality assurance training every other year. According to our records the members listed are in need of taking a class this year. There are a couple of trainings offered in November as follows:

  • November 10th at 2:30 p.m. at the Sweet Grass Lodge following the Tiber 4-H meeting.
  • November 12th at the Cut Bank Voting Center at 6:30 p.m. along with a Beef selection and nutrition workshop.
  • November 24th at 4:30 at Harmon’s following the Prairie Pals meeting.

Livestock Judging Video Practices

With KMON and Montana Winter Fair Livestock Judging Contests coming up in January, we thought it would be a great time to do video livestock judging practices again this year! This practice is open to any 4-H member in the Marias Fair counties. Starting on November 8,  Adriane will send out a link to a google drive folder which has a video, manual, and practice class to those interested members. You will have a week to get reasons back to me on the practice class I sent out. I will send out the next species on November 15 along with comments on your previous week’s reasons. A folder will be sent out once a week until December 20 with all reasons due by December 27. Please let Adriane know (adriane.good@montana.edu 271-4054) by November 7 if you would like to be included on this practice! 

Homecoming Parade

Members of the Tiber 4-H Club promoted the 4-H program during the CJI Homecoming parade. They showed their School and 4-H pride by decorating and riding on their 4-H float! 

Beef Market Animal Livestock Weigh-ins

Liberty County’s Beef weigh-in will be on December 7th at the County Stockyard at 9:00.

 Members must be 10 years old as of October 1, 2019 in order to take a steer to the Marias Fair. You must enroll for your livestock projects by December 1, 2019. Contact Jesse at 759-5625 or on his cell at 406-399-2092 for more information regarding weigh-ins or if this date will not work for you in which case an earlier date would have to be arranged.

4-H Steer Selection

There are lots of things to consider when choosing a 4-H steer. Here are a few suggestions.

  • One of the most important things to consider is disposition. If you aren’t able to handle your animal it won’t matter how it looks.
  • The average steer will be finished between 14 and 18 months of age so are generally born between January and May. The fair books state that “animals must be born after January 1 of the prior year.”
  • The animal you choose should be structurally sound with its feet and legs in good shape. Muscling should be looked at as well. How wide they walk when viewed from behind is a good indicator of muscling, and thickness over the top. The frame size of the animal should also be considered.
  • Weight is also important. “Weight per day of age” is a good indicator of the future growth potential of the steer. However the heaviest calf may not be the best. Study the calf and decide the composition of the extra pounds. Excessive fat in a yearling is not good either. Keep in mind that the minimum weight for a steer at the Marias Fair is 1100 pounds. Typically members choose animals weighing around 600 or 650 at the least. A good average daily gain to shoot for would be around 2 to 2.5 lbs. 

2020 Montana 4-H Calendar

The 2020 Greytak calendars are here.  As usual , the calendars contain beautifully illustrated prints by Don Greytak. The cost of each calendar is $15.00.  This includes 3 raffle tickets for a chance to win a pair of western boots from Murdochs. Proceeds go to the Liberty County 4-H Council so please spread the word. These make great Christmas gifts so call the office to reserve yours.

Prairie Pals

 The Prairie Pals met on Sunday, October 27th. They have set their meeting dates as the last Sunday of the month. They have decided to rotate the meetings to member’s homes. The November 24th meeting will be at the Harmon residence south of town at 4:00 p.m.

At the meeting the members had an election for their 2019-2020 4-H year officers. They are as listed to the right:

2019-2020 Officers

  • President - Blake Harmon
  • Vice President - Rhiannon Cole
  • Secretary - Sadie Cole
  • Treasurer - Kyle Harmon
  • Recreation Leader - Kyra Anderson
  • Co-Pledge Leaders - Hunter Cole and Kyler Anderson