Pennsylvania’s answer to the widely asked question “Where’s the beef?” can be found in 4-H Livestock Clubs, which teach youth the skills needed to become beef producers. More than 1,700 kids participated in such clubs last year.
Participants, who are all between the ages of 8 and 18, raise cattle from calves and learn about everything from feeding, diets, veterinary care, and birthing to grooming and showing animals at fairs.

“There is no better way to prepare for becoming a beef producer than taking part in the 4-H programs,” says Bob Mikesell, 4-H livestock program specialist. “The youngsters are exposed to every aspect of the business.”
4-H beef cattle programs provide kids with different experiences tailored to their circumstances. “You don’t have to live on a farm to participate,” says Mikesell, “but you do need access to farm facilities. Some projects require more resources than others, but none are backyard projects.”

The Market Steer Project program boasts the most participants—1,468 last year—among 4-H beef programs. Youths purchase calves in mid- to late fall and feed, care for, and groom the steers in preparation for showing and selling them at county fairs and round-ups the following summer.

Penn State’s detailed, step-by-step reference guide for the 4-H Market Steer Project leads first-time participants through selecting a project animal, caring for the steer, keeping it healthy, grooming it, and showing it.
“This project mirrors the commercial beef industry fairly closely,” says Mikesell. “What the industry does with hundreds or thousands of head of cattle, a 4-H’er does with one, two, or three.”

In the Breeding Beef Project, youths select heifer calves and raise them to breeding age. Then they have the heifers bred and oversee the birth of a new calf. “They start their own little beef herd,” says Mikesell.

“Kids in the heifer project can show at beef breed exhibitions as well as local fairs and state-sponsored shows,” he adds. “They also learn about reproductive health programs, calving management, and artificial insemination.”

The third 4-H beef program, the Dairy Beef Feeder Calf Project, offers a way for kids growing up on or around dairy farms to experience beef production by using bull calves. More than 200 youngsters took part last year.

“Pennsylvania’s dairy industry produces many bull calves, few of which are needed for breeding purposes,” explains Mikesell. “Most dairy bull calves are destined for veal or beef production.”

That means 4-H’ers can buy week-old dairy bull calves at a lower price than they could 500- to 600-pound beef calves. “The kids teach the calves to eat grain and have them castrated into steers,” says Mikesell. “Dairy-type steers are not eligible for certified beef programs such as Certified Angus Beef, and they have to be fed a very concentrated diet to make them suitable for slaughter, but when fed correctly, dairy steers can produce acceptable-quality beef.”

Whether a 4-H’er gets involved in the Market Steer Project, the Breeding Beef Project, or the Dairy Beef Feeder Calf Project, the intense, hands-on experience they gain is great early training for working in the beef industry. 4-H livestock programs remain the best preparation a kid can get for working with animals later.

For more information abut 4-H, contact your Penn State Cooperative Extension county office, or visit pa4H.cas.psu.edu on the World Wide Web.