Arapahoe
County Offices
5804 S Datura Blvd.
Littleton, CO 80120
303-730-1920
303-730-2764 (fax)
(map)
Hours
of Operation:
Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. MST
Closed holidays
Community
Resources Director
Don Klemme
Division
Manager
Dale Edwards
4-H
Program
Larry Hooker
Shaylen Florez
Jean Walton
Youth
Development Program
Kimberley Jones
Family
& Consumer Education
Sheila Gains
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The
Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
Karen Martinez
Horticulture & Natural Resources
Robert Cox
Mae Rauen
Agriculture
Dale
Edwards |
4-H Animal Projects
4-H Animal Ownership Deadlines
Members in the Market Beef animal projects must be enrolled in Arapahoe County 4-H by March 1, 2010. Members in the Swine, Sheep, Goat, Poultry, Dog & Rabbit animal projects must be enrolled in Arapahoe County 4-H by April 15, 2010. Please note that animal ownership deadlines are different from the 4-H enrollment deadlines. Animal ownership must be noted in your e-records. Horse ownership/leases must be sent to the 4-H office by June 1, 2010. Animal ownership deadlines are:
- Market Beef: March 1, 2010
- Dogs: April 1, 2010
- Breeding Beef, Market and Breeding Sheep, Swine, Goats, Poultry and Rabbits: April 15, 2010
- Horses: June 1, 2010
- Poultry Meat Pen: June 10, 2020
Primary Care Form:
All livestock and horse exhibitors are required to fill out the Primary Care Form which will be available from your club’s organizational leader.
Premise Identification Numbers:
It is mandatory for all livestock and horse exhibitors to have a Premise ID # for Arapahoe County. This number must be provided on your 2009 – 2010 Member Enrollment Form or your form will not be considered complete. Call Colorado Premise Identification at 1-877-842-0102 or visit www.COanimalID.org for more information.
Dogs
K-9 Kapers Club Accepting Dog Project Members
K-9 Kapers 4-H Club in the Littleton area is welcoming new 4-H Dog project members. Members are taught basic through advanced dog obedience and showmanship skills. If you would like more details, please call Jody Kelly at 303-790-4630 or Ginni Littlefield at 303-646-6360. The club meets on Mondays from 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the County Multi-Purpose Building, 5814 S. Datura St. Littleton.
Guide Dogs for the Blind
This program teaches youth responsibility as well as helping the Guide Dogs for the Blind organization. Guide Dogs for the Blind is always looking for puppy raisers and they sponsor college scholarships to members who have raised a guide dog. For more information about Guide Dogs, call Dot Dill, 303-771-3428 or Carmen Moyer, 303-798-5934.
Market Beef
Brand Inspection Papers
Brand registration papers must be in the 4-H member’s name for exhibiting Market Beef at county and state fair and the NWSS. Do not register your 4-H animal registration papers jointly with your parents.
A brand inspection is required every time cattle, horses, mules or donkeys:
- are sold, purchased or when any change of ownership occurs.
- will be transported over 75 miles within the boundaries of Colorado.
- leave the state of Colorado, regardless of the circumstances.
If you have questions, please the Colorado Brand Board 303-294-0895.
Tips for Selecting Your Market Beef
It is about time to start shopping for your market beef animal. Here are some things to consider during this process:
- Make certain you have adequate housing for your market beef animal: good fences, good drainage and good equipment.
- The best feeding, management and grooming techniques cannot overcome the selection of a poor quality animal.
- Consider the confirmation, age, weight and temperament when buying your animal.
- Confirmation – Right now, show judges are looking for “meat-type” animal. That means animals that will give the consumer the kind of meat they want to buy at the meat counter. The consumer is very health conscious and wants lean (less fat) meat that is tender and juicy when cooked. They do not want to trim off a lot of fat before they cook it. A good market beef animal is well-muscled in the areas of high-priced meat cuts (loin, rib, round and rump) and has just enough fat coverage to make the meat tender and juicy.
- Age & weight – A calf will need to be between 14 - 18 months of age at the time it is finished. The finished weight will need to be between 1,150 – 1,250 pounds at the county fair weigh-in.
- Temperament – Look for an animal that has a calmer disposition, they will gain weight better and be less likely to injure someone. Avoid the “high-headed” calf that is always trying to get far away from you. It’s the one that moves explosively, snorting and charging, as you get closer. Look for one that is alert and watches you as you enter the corral and then moves away as you get into their flight zone.
- Try not to pick an animal that has discharge from their nose and drooping ears, they may be sick and get you off to a slow start.
- It will take approximately 2,500 pounds of grain and 2,000 pounds of hay to properly finish-out your calf.
National Western Stock Show- January 9-24, 2010
Guest Badges:
One guest badge is available per club. Clubs interested in these guest badges should call Larry at 303-730-1920 before Dec. 1. NO badges will be available after Dec. 1.
Discount Tickets:
Discount tickets are available for groups of 20 or more for the PRCA Rodeo and Horse Shows on specific dates. Contact NWSS at 303-297-1166 for more information.
School Tours – Volunteers Needed:
Training: 10 – 11 a.m., Saturday, Dec., 5, 2009
Hall of Education, 3rd Floor, VIP Room
Arapahoe County 4-H is participating in the NWSS school visit and barn tour program. Volunteers and 4-H members, ages 14 and up, are needed to assist with greeting the classes at the National Western Complex. Training is provided. If you are interested and want more information, please call Larry Hooker at 303-730-1920.
2010 Catch-a-Calf Program
The NWSS catch-a-calf program is designed so successful participants catch a calf at a NWSS rodeo performance and win the opportunity to take a calf home and raise it, and then return to the NWSS one year later to show the animal as a market steer.
Those who catch a calf are enrolled in the program; those who do not may be allowed to try in another rodeo performance or try the next year. The calves that are caught are not the ones that are taken home. A sponsor donates the cost of the calf to the catch-a-calf program and they are picked-up in May.
Calves won at the 2010 NWSS will be shown at the 2011 NWSS. The market animals will be judged on rate of gain, quality of fitting and carcass quality. The exhibitor will be judged on showmanship, their record book and a personal interview.
Interested youth must submit an application form, which can be picked up at the Extension Office or downloaded here. All applicants must make an appointment to meet with Larry Hooker to obtain his signature on the application. All applications must be postmarked by Nov. 15, 2009. For more information, call Larry at 303-730-1920.
Livestock Shows & Sales
For information on upcoming livestock sales and shows, contact Larry at 303-730-1920.
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