Commercial Beef on Dairy Project for South Carolina Youth

February 21, 2024

With the demand for beef up, more dairy producers are crossbreeding heifers or less productive cows with beef.  With this shift and an increased interest in local grown beef, several livestock and 4-H agents are piloting a beef on dairy youth project to allow youth opportunities to grow and show these animals.

This project will allow youth who do not have beef or dairy cattle of their own or are looking for a shorter-term project than the current dairy heifer project an opportunity.  Milky Way farm is willing to provide animals needed for this project and share with us the list of individuals that currently buy these animals from them.  They do not currently raise enough steers to fill the orders for meat that they have requests for.

Youth who sign up for the project will need to have the ability to care for and raise an animal up to 1000 pounds. Application process will give priority to those who do not have cattle of their own. Youth will sign up and pay $500 for these animals that will be randomly drawn in May.  Youth will then feed, care for and show these animals for one year. These animals will be able to show at several local shows and the South Carolina State Fair during the dairy show.  This is a terminal project and all will be sold for beef in October of the following year.

This project will give more youth the opportunity to learn about animal agriculture and may be a bridge for these youth to the beef or dairy heifer project.  It may also provide more siblings to participate in a cattle project should a family reach the maximum of two youth per family if there is a shortage of dairy project heifers.

Contact:

TINA HORN
LIVESTOCK AND FORAGES AGENT
STATE DAIRY PROGRAM COORDINATOR
York County Cooperative Extension
Clemson University
120 North Congress St.
York, South Carolina 29745
w 803-944-2089
thorn@clemson.edu