4-H Annual Meat Animal Sale

DUNKIRK, NY (July 10, 2023) – It’s that time of the year again! Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s 4-H Youth Development Program is excited to announce the 59th Annual Chautauqua County 4-H Meat Animal Sale held at the Warren K. Brown Show Arena on the Chautauqua County Fairgrounds Friday, July 21st, 2023. The sale begins at 12:00pm.

The sale will be hosted by Cornell Cooperative Extension’s 4-H Youth Development Program.

4-Her’s across the county have been working hard since October to raise top-quality animals for the annual sale. This year 10 beef steers, 45 hogs, 10 goats, 10 sheep, and 37 pairs of chicken will be available for purchase.

Market animal projects offer youth a unique experience to learn animal husbandry, feed and nutrition, animal terminology, cuts of meat, how to train an animal to lead, and current industry standards for their species. All the hard work is not only found in the barn, however. Youth keep accurate medical, nutrition, and financial records for every animal project. They are also encouraged to market that animal to people in the community so that they are sure to get a fair price for their hard work on sale day.

In addition, this year we will have a new item on the market. We will also be auctioning off 13 Dairy coolers. These coolers will be filled with dairy products and coupons. The dairy youth work hard all year with their expensive animals and have yet to sell their animals by-products at the sale. We are excited to see how this turns out this year!

Are you a first-time buyer at the 4-H Meat Animal Sale? Don’t be shy! Arrive early and walk through the barns to see what animals you may be interested in. If a youth has approached you before the fair, be sure to stop in, say hello, and check on the animal you may be purchasing. Make sure that you get a sale book which lists in order every animal that will be sold during the sale. There are no bidder numbers—simply raise your hand and the auctioneer or a spotter will be happy to take your bid. Once the gavel falls and you have purchased the animal head down to the show ring for a photo. You’ll also be handed a clipboard with your sales receipt. You’ll need to fill out your contact information as well as processor trucking information for your animal. Once you purchase an animal it stays on display at the fair until Sunday when it is shipped to the processor of your choice. After your photo head into the 4-H Building where you can pay for your animal with cash or check. It’s just that easy!

A small portion of every sale goes to Chautauqua County 4-H programing. 4-H connects youth to hands-on learning opportunities, valuable skills, build confidence, and can forage bonds and friendships that last a lifetime. For more information about 4-H please visit https://chautauqua.cce.cornell.edu/

The 4-H Youth Development Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a community based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system, and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Last updated July 10, 2023