All youth planning to show Beef at the Dane County Fair must meet these species specific educational requirements:

• Attend at least one approved education event (listed below)
• Education Requirement Card – Complete this card after attending a species-specific education meeting/event to confirm attendance during the dates of 6/16/24-6/15/25. You should upload the completed card by June 15.
  • To upload the education card, please save the document as a JPG, TIFF, or PDF. Youth can take a picture of the education card to upload.
• Complete Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) certificate between 9/1/2024-6/15/2025.
• Complete all training, and submit education card and YQCA certificate by June 15 via the ONLINE PORTAL. Failure to submit this card by June 15 at 11:59pm will make you ineligible to show your animal at the Dane County Fair.
• If showing in more than one species, youth must complete and submit the requirements for each species separately.

• 8/28-29/2024 – Stockmanship & Stewardship Workshop - Lancaster, WI - REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Stockmanship and Stewardship workshop held in the heart of the driftless region, known for its’ rolling hills, fertile soils and abundant pastures. This will be an action-packed two days featuring a variety of topics from cattle health and well-being to pasture management and land stewardship, complemented by low-stress cattle handling demonstrations.

• 10/21/2024 – Beef Cattle - Feed Clinic - 6:30pm-8:00pm - Middleton Farmers Cooperative Co (1755 Pleasant View Rd, Middleton) - REGISTRATION REQUIRED - CLICK HERE. If you are interested in learning more about the Beef project and how to best feed your animal through different stages, this educational event is for you. Youth will learn how to identify ingredients in cattle feed, their roles in nutrition and how the feeding program will change as the steer progresses. There will be trivia and prizes for participants! This fun, interactive program is open to all youth in grades 3-13. Youth should be accompanied by an adult. Reach out to Natalie Sander, MFC Feed Store, with questions 608-307-0270.

• 12/5/2024 – Two Clinics at Badger Brawl at Alliant Energy Center listed below; attend either one or both. All Beef Department youth are invited to attend. For clinic questions, contact Badger Brawl.
  • 5:00 pm - Sunglo Feed Clinic (front foyer of Pavilion 1)
  • 6:00 pm - StockShowU by Sullivan Supply (showring)

• 12/12/2024 - Fall Beef Cow Seminar - 11:00am-3:00pm (lunch will be provided) - Jefferson County Fairgrounds (Building 12 Activities Center, 503 N Jackson Ave, Jefferson, WI). This seminar is during the school day and is geared towards high school aged youth. Topics include: Cow Reproduction Performance, Importance of Trace Minerals for Reproduction Success, Measuring Performance, BeefXDairy Genomic Testing Benefits, and Winter Cow Herd Nutrition. For questions, contact Josiah Casterton at josiah.casterton@kentww.com or 563-419-8651.

• 1/21/2025 – 4-H Animal Health Education from 6:00pm-7:00pm at St. Martin School (5959 St. Martin Circle, Cross Plains). No Cost. The Ashton Go Getters 4-H Club is hosting an education opportunity focused on animal health, illnesses, symptoms of stress, and common treatments. Learn how to keep your animal healthy and happy, especially if they are going to travel to a fair this summer. Shane from Waunakee Veterinary Service will present the information. Animals covered will be beef, dairy, swine, sheep, poultry, rabbits and goats. This meeting is designed for youth in Grades 3+ and all youth should have an adult present. RSVP with Mary – 608-212-4173 or m.hellenbrand@outlook.com

• 3/6/2025 – Show Feed Webinar at 6:00pm offered by Theisen's & Sunglo show Feeds. This event is open to all skill levels and each attendee will receive valuable coupons as well as a chance to win exciting prizes! During the webinar, we’ll cover topics such as animal selection, show feed tips and management, Sunglo feeds and supplements available at Theisen’s, and we’ll conclude with an open Q&A session. Animals covered will be beef, swine, sheep, and meat goats. You can register for the event via the following link: Theisen's Sunglo Webinar Registration Link

• 3/18/2025 – Management for your Animal Project from 6:30pm-7:30pm offered by the Wisconsin Youth Livestock Program. This session will identify tips and tricks related to management of your animal project. Biosecurity standards are the best practices in raising animal, this meeting will stimulate thoughts on how to minimize disease spread. Dr. Gretchen May from DATCP, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, will be the speaker. Animals covered will be dairy, beef, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, and rabbits. CLICK HERE to register.

• 5/29/2025 – UW-Madison Large Animal Hospital Education Event from 6:30pm-7:30pm at UW Madison (2501 Linden Drive, Madison). Registration required. This is an amazing education event for youth interested in Dairy and Beef Cattle, Goats and Sheep. Visit the UW-Madison Large Animal Hospital and learn about some of the procedures veterinarians provide when animals are ill. Youth will practice some basic veterinary health skills with School of Veterinary Medicine Staff and Students and will talk about how to keep your animal safe before and during the fair. The meeting is considered an approved education event for Dane County Fair education credit for Dairy Goats. Youth under 16 should be accompanied by an adult. Animals covered will be dairy, beef, sheep, and dairy goats. CLICK HERE to register.

• 6/14/2025 – Wisconsin Livestock Show Camp from 8:00am-5:00pm at Rock County Fairgrounds (Janesville). Registration required by June 1. Organized by the Wisconsin Livestock Breeders Association, the Wisconsin Livestock Show Camp is one of the oldest and BEST “hands-on” clinics in the Midwest! Clinicians will cover; daily care, exercise, nutrition, fitting-clipping-grooming and showmanship. Bring your own animals and learn from some of the very best our industry has to offer! Animals covered will be beef, sheep, and swine. REGISTER by June 1.

• Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) for Producers – www.bqa.org
• Beef University - Free sessions (Grades, Cuts and Preparation; Beef Nutrition; and Raising Beef) for beef certification. Must include certificate of completion for one of the sessions with your Education Card. Sessions listed at: https://www.beefu.org/
• Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) - https://mba.beeflearningcenter.org/course/ - course consists of five lessons (MUST complete all 5 for certificate) in beef advocacy, including:
  • The Beef Community - Context of raising beef from pasture to plate focusing on the community of people involved throughout the beef lifecycle.
  • Raising Cattle on Grass - An introduction to the first step in the beef lifecycle and the many benefits of raising cattle on our country’s vast grass pasture resources.
  • Life in the Feedyard - A discussion on the role of feedyards, including animal care, nutrition and environmental stewardship, at this important step in the beef lifecycle.
  • From Cattle to Beef - An in-depth look at the slaughter process and the humane handling and safety measures in place at today’s beef processing facilities.
  • Beef. It's What's For Dinner. - A primer on choosing and cooking the right cuts of beef and the important role of beef in a healthful diet.