4-H/FFA Dairy Cattle Rules & Classes

Departments 11 & 21: 4-H and FFA

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4-H and FFA Dairy Cattle Regulations

  1. All animals must have been owned or leased by the exhibitor prior to July 1 and registered with the respective breed association in the exhibitor’s name. Must have registration certificate and present it at check-in.
  2. Each exhibitor will be limited to two entries in each individual class.
  3. Senior yearling heifers in milk must show in a 2-year-old freshened class.
  4. All exhibitors must be neatly and properly dressed (preferably in white) while in the show ring.
  5. 4-H Food Quality Assurance Policy for 2026:
    • By June 1, 2026, all 4-H members enrolled in food animal projects including beef, sheep, swine, dairy cattle, meat and dairy goats, rabbits, and poultry must complete the appropriate level of Missouri Show-Me Quality Assurance certification, or equivalent Quality Assurance programming, to be considered a 4-H member in good standing in that project. No further quality assurance documentation is needed.
    • NOTE: 4-H members must be in good standing in their county to enter the State Fair food animal related competitions (Reference rule 1, C).

Dairy Cattle Classes

Exhibitors must refer to the Open Show and use those class numbers for 4-H, FFA and Open, with the exception that there are no group classes in 4-H/FFA.

4-H/FFA Dairy Cattle Steer Show

Thursday, August 20 – 4:30 p.m. – MFA Arena

  1. Cattle in this section must abide by the rules and regulations of the 4-H/FFA Livestock department, Open Dairy Cattle department and the general rules and regulations of the Missouri State Fair.
  2. All dairy animals must be owned by regularly enrolled 4-H/FFA members.
  3. Dairy Steers MUST BE NOMINATED on Nomination Form by faxing or mailing by June 1 and MUST BE ENTERED ONLINE by July 13.
  4. Purebred and grade steers will show together by breeds.

    Sire and Dam of dairy steers must be from one of the six (6) dairy breeds. Steers may be crossbred, but must be 100% dairy breeds. The six (6) dairy breeds are defined as Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein, Jersey, Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn.

    All dairy steers must be 100% dairy blood, but do not have to be registered animals. Crosses of beef and dairy breeds will NOT be allowed. Dairy Superintendent and staff will evaluate all dairy steers for 100% dairy breed characteristics. The decisions made by them will be final.

    Dairy steers must exhibit dairy breed characteristics in their head, neck, body, and muscle structure. They must not exhibit any signs of crossbreeding between the dairy breeds and any beef breed.

  5. Steers will be judged on carcass value and carcass yielding qualities.
  6. Due to weight variances, the number and range of the classes, by weight, will be set at the fair.
  7. Steers must be born before January 1 of the current year. All steers must be dehorned and castrated. Must have RFID tag.
  8. All steers will be mouthed at weigh-in. Steers with any permanent teeth erupted will be disqualified. Steers will also be checked for ring worm and warts. Animals with active lesions of ringworm with resulting loss of hair or warts easily visible without close examination will not be permitted to exhibit and shall be subject to isolation or expulsion depending upon the nature and seriousness of the disease. The State Veterinarian has the flexibility to disqualify any animal upon visible observation at any time. The steers will be visibly observed prior to weigh-in and mouthing.
  9. Animals must be shown “washed down” with no hair grooming except clipping. Use of show stick is optional
  10. When on exhibition in the ring, each animal must be under halter and in the charge of the owner or owner’s representative, and must be manageable.
  11. These animals for 2026 will not compete in the Carcass show or the Sale of Champions.

Dairy Steer Class:

190 Dairy Cattle Steers (Steers will be shown by breed and divided into classes by weight.)

4-H/FFA Commercial Dairy Cattle

Thursday, August 20 – Following dairy steer show – Coliseum

  1. Cattle in this section must abide by the rules and regulations of the 4-H/FFA Livestock department, Open Dairy Cattle department and the general rules and regulations of the Missouri State Fair.
  2. Cattle in this section must not be eligible to show in any other breed category in the Dairy Cattle department.
  3. No more than two (2) animals may be entered and shown in the same class by one exhibitor.
  4. Classes will be based upon the weight of the animals.
  5. If less than three (3) are entered in a class, it will be combined with another class.
  6. No breed is to be specified on the entry form.

Commercial Class:

180 Commercial Dairy Cattle (shown by weight)

Dairy Cattle Specials

The Missouri State Fair will award a plaque to the Grand Champion Female in the following breeds: Holstein, Jersey, Guernsey, Brown Swiss and All Other Breeds.