BEDFORD – Attention all Lawrence County 4-H families participating in livestock projects! The Purdue Extension – Lawrence County has announced two upcoming dates for mandatory livestock tagging, a crucial step for participation in the 2025 4-H Fair.
Families have two opportunities to meet these requirements: Monday, April 29th, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, May 10th, in the morning. Both events will be held at the Lawrence County 4-H Fairgrounds.
Participation in one of these tagging events is mandatory for most animal projects that require weighing and tagging. Importantly, those wishing to participate in the Sheep and/or Goat Rate of Gain classes must attend the May 10th event, as weights will not be taken on April 29th.
Cats, dogs, horses, poultry, rabbits, and dairy calves not yet born are excluded from these dates and will have separate schedules. Mini 4-H members are also not required to attend these specific tagging events. However, if Mini 4-H members are bringing their animals, they must still meet the minimum requirements of the Board of Animal Health (BOAH) for livestock tagging.
For complete details and specific schedules for each species, please visit the Lawrence County 4-H website at https://bit.ly/LC4HTagging. Families are strongly encouraged to check this site to ensure they are aware of the requirements for their specific animal projects.
Specific Traffic Flow and Times:
April 29th (5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.):
- Swine: Proceed around the center circle and through the Show Arena as in previous years.
- All Other Species (Beef, Dairy Cattle, Sheep, Goats): Drive around the outside of the Expo Hall to the area between the Cattle and Sheep barns. Two stations will be set up at the back of the cattle barn: one for Sheep and Goats, and one for Beef and Dairy Cattle.
May 10th (Morning):
- 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Swine (Show Arena)
- 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.: Beef Heifers (Cattle Barn near Sheep)
- 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: Dairy Steers born after January 1st, and Dairy Females
- 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Goats (Sheep Barn)
- 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: Sheep (Sheep Barn)
Important Reminder: Tagging day is just four days before the animal ID deadline in 4HOnline. To assist families with this crucial step, on-site trailer parking and 4-H Online animal identification assistance will be available at the Community Building on tagging day. Families are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to input their animal information and ensure accuracy before the deadline.
Premise ID Requirement: Exhibitors are reminded to bring their Premise ID number, as it will be required on Animal ID Worksheets and in 4HOnline when identifying animals. If you do not yet have a Premise ID, you can request one from the BOAH at https://www.in.gov/boah/traceability-and-premise-id/.
For any questions or further clarification, please don’t hesitate to contact the Purdue Extension-Lawrence County office at 812-275-4623.
Lesley Lodmell, Extension Educator for 4-H and Youth Development and County Extension Director, encourages all affected families to attend one of these critical tagging events to ensure their animals are eligible for the 2025 Lawrence County 4-H Fair.
