Dixon May Fair Sets Steer Ear Tagging Date

Special to Dixon Patch

All Solano County youth entering steer in the 2012 Dixon May Fair must have their animals ear tagged on Jan. 14.

The May Fair recently released its date for the annual steer ear tagging, required to take place at least 120 days before the start of the fair. Tagging will be from 9 a.m. to noon in the livestock area on the fairgrounds.

No appointment is necessary, although every youth who comes is required to bring a bill of sale showing ownership of their animal, as well as a yellow transportation slip, before their steer is ear tagged.

“Beef exhibitors are required this year to show proof of insurance,” said exhibitsbcoordinator Sandy Bonesteel. “Steer can grow to be 1,200 pounds and can be aggressive if not properly trained. If the cattle are handled regularly, they walk to the scale and they can even be weighed.”

If the animal cooperates, ear tagging could be complete in as little as 10 minutes. Livestock staff will take each steer out of the trailer and put him in a squeeze shoot, which makes it easier to tag the animal and is also a safety precaution because the steer cannot move or harm anyone. Once tagging is complete, the steer is taken back to the trailer.

The Dixon May Fair’s Junior Livestock Auction is open to any Solano County youth between the ages of nine and 18, but typically, only teenagers raise steer for the annual event. Besides the added expense of caring for such a large animal, there are more challenges to raise them, including the time needed to halter break them.

The youth who are raising steer for the 2012 May Fair have had their animals for some time already, Bonesteel added, and most have started training.

Last January, fair officials tagged 19 steers. Bonesteel hopes to see the same response this year. The economy does play a role though, she added, since it is so much more expensive to raise a steer than it is smaller animals like sheep, goats, or swine. There was a significant decline in May Fair steer between 2010 and 2011 that was attributed to the economic downturn.

“It’s more costly with these animals,” Bonesteel said. “I’m hoping with the economy we will still get some steers in the show.”

The May Fair has also set the date for ear tagging for market goat and sheep. Those animals will be tagged between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on March 10.  4-H leaders, FFA advisors or market hog leaders can pick up ear tags prior to the March 10 date, and swine can be tagged outside the fairgrounds.

Tags and paperwork will be available for pick up in the office from Feb. 27 to March 5, and must be returned no later than March 7.

The 137th annual Dixon May Fair will open on Thursday, May 10 and entertain thousands of visitors through Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 13.  For more information, visit www.dixonmayfair.com.