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Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment
UMass Extension 4-H Youth Development Program
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Working Steers

boy with working steer team The 4-H Working Steer Project allows youth the opportunity to train a pair of steers (castrated males) to work together as a team. This project is growing in popularity due to the numerous classes that a youth and team can participate in. Some of the classes are:

  1. Fitting and showmanship.
  2. Best matched set.
  3. Working class.
  4. Pulling class.

4-H members are selected with their teams to attend the New England Youth Working Steer Competition at the Eastern States Exposition. This competition brings together the best young teamsters from throughout the New England area. The selection process is based on the performance by the youth and their teams at various Massachusetts 4-H shows.

Working steers bond with their owners. A team works best for the person who trains and understands them. Working steers are truly the result of a 4-Her's time and efforts, not a parent's willingness to do the work or spend top dollar to buy the best animals.

Informational web site: Big E Youth Working Steer

HEALTH RULES: 2023 MA Health Rules for Fairs

RECORDS:

4-H members leasing a livestock project must file a Livestock Verification Form with their local 4-H office.  Dairy and Beef, Working Steer Verification Forms are due May 1 and Goat, Sheep and Alpaca forms are due June 1.

This 4-H Livestock Verification Form must be filed by the deadline with your local 4-H office:

MA 4-H Animal Verification Form

For further information, please contact:


State 4-H Animal Specialist
University of Massachusetts Amherst 
100 Venture Way, Suite 334
Hadley, MA 01035-9462
413-545-5302
 

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ag [at] cns [dot] umass [dot] edu (ag[at]cns[dot]umass[dot]edu)

 

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