Dairy Feeder Steer Program

The WNC Dairy Steer Project was started to encourage youth in the area to show beef steers and increase the numbers of participants in the Junior Beef Show at the NC Mountain State Fair. To reduce the cost to participate, the WNC Beef Commission decided to use dairy steers, which are less expensive than beef steers. Through participation in the program, youth attend a full-day orientation program where they learn to feed and care for the calf. They show their calf at the Junior Beef Roundup and the Junior Beef Show at the Mountain State Fair. At the conclusion of the project, the calves are sold and the youth are encouraged to invest their profits in a beef animal to raise and show the following year and began to build a herd. Area FFA advisors, 4-H leaders, NC Cooperative Extension agents and WNC Communities all partner to administer the program. 

Dairy Feeder Steer Sponsors

NC County Farm Bureaus

Animals-R-Us