2020 Heifer Sale

February 2, 2021

2020 South Carolina Dairy Youth Heifer Project Bred Heifer Sale

The South Carolina Dairy Youth Heifer Project, a Clemson University Youth Livestock program initiative, gives any active 4-H or FFA member, age 5-17, the opportunity to raise and show a registered dairy heifer. During this 18-month project, participants learn how to care for, manage, train, and show their heifer while exploring the world of dairy cattle. The goal of the project is for youth to gain knowledge about the dairy industry and learn how to responsibly care for a dairy animal and, in the end, have a well-grown, bred dairy heifer. The project concludes with the sale of the heifers at the South Carolina State Fair in October each year. Participants show their heifer one last time during the dairy cattle show, and then all heifers are sold in the Bred Heifer Sale.

2020 brought many challenges to the South Carolina Dairy Youth Heifer Project Bred Heifer Sale. With the cancellation of the 2020 South Carolina State Fair and pandemic restrictions the decision was made to move the sale to a virtual format. The Heifer Project committee, volunteers, participants, and supporters took it all in stride and made the 2020 Sale a huge success. With the new sale format, the catalog and pedigree pages were given a new look and youth were encouraged to help promote the sale and their individual heifers. Pedigrees where made available to previous and potential buyers along with pictures and videos of the available heifers.
After weeks of preparation, the sale was held on October 6, 2020 with 24 registered dairy heifers sold at an average of $1,450 each. Over 150 potential buyers, committee members, and participants and their families logged in to view and bid. With the online format, there were 4 first time buyers and over a dozen additional first-time potential buyers. The success of the sale was due to the months of hard work these youth put into raising and caring for these heifers and the dairymen who placed heifers in the project, giving these youth the opportunity to shine. Even with the restrictions this passed year, these youth continued to work with these heifers and, in the end provided an outstanding group of heifers for potential buyers, proving why the SC Dairy Youth Heifer Project is one of the oldest and best of its kind.

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.