banner

Cascade County

The 4-H Livestock Show Must Go On

Published: 2020
By Rose Malisani
Year after year, many 4-H events are planned and facilitated to look the same without much change. 4-H members enroll, select projects, work with their animal, and show at the county livestock show... but a pandemic can change an event such as the livestock show in one swoop. The Cascade County 4-H Livestock Leaders and Extension Agent, Rose Malisani, discovered the Cascade County 4-H Livestock Show and Sale can go on during a pandemic with changes to allow 4-H members to still showcase their hard work and sell their market animal. The group met every week from March-June to rearrange the agenda to allow only one species on the grounds at a time and develop an online sale. The Livestock Show was the only event held at the fairgrounds in Great Falls in the summer of 2020 because the group worked with Cascade City-County Health Department to develop a sanitation plan. The group changed the agenda to accommodate 50 or less people in the barn at one time. Traditionally, all the 4-H members weigh animals and market the same evening, then show in market classes and sell their animals the next day, with showmanship classes and round robin the last day. The adjustments had animals weighed a week before the show with a drive through design. The first day of the Livestock Show showcased sheep and goats in the morning and beef in the afternoon. Swine market projects began the next morning, followed by poultry and rabbit projects, and swine showmanship classes in the afternoon. The normally-live sale with 350 buyers and others attend shifted to an online format. 4-H members submitted photos, videos, and descriptions of livestock projects for a catalog that was mailed to past buyers. One buyer said, “I really enjoyed the catalog. The 4-H members descriptions of their projects and picture was so neat; those kids have some awesome creativity.” The online sale was hosted by Montana Cattle Connexions, where buyers bid on lots from 5-9 p.m. Eighty-three market animals were sold in 2020 compared to 100 market animals sold in 2019. Seventy-eight 4-H members showed their projects at the 2020 Livestock Show, 27 less than in 2019. Many families decided to sell animals through private treaty which follows the guidelines of the projects. One 4-H member said, “I missed seeing everyone at the Livestock Show but I appreciate the hard work from the adult leaders to allow me to show my steer.”
2020 Cascade County 4-H Livestock Show