Registration is now open for a pair of events that encourage youth to increase their knowledge about livestock production and management.

Officials at Kansas State University have announced the dates for the Junior Beef Producer Day (Mar. 2) and Junior Sheep Producer Day (Mar. 16). The events are co-hosted by K-State’s Youth Livestock Program, K-State Research and Extension, and the K-State Department of Animal Sciences and Industry.

Registration is available online at http://bit.ly/ksuasiregister. The deadline to register for the Junior Beef Producer Day is Feb. 12, and the deadline for the Junior Sheep Producer Day is Feb. 26.

Both events will be hosted in Weber Arena on the K-State campus in Manhattan. The junior day programs are one-day educational opportunities for youth, parents, project leaders, agents and others to increase their knowledge of youth livestock production and management.

Tentative topics include:

• Project selection.
• Nutrition and feeding.
• Meat science.
• Health.
• Reproduction.
• Grooming.
• Showmanship.
• The state livestock nomination process.

Sessions will be led by K-State faculty members, staff, students, extension agents and guest speakers. All ages are welcome, but all attendees must register — both youth and adults.

K-State officials said the events offer instructor-led training for youth attendees to earn their YQCA certification, which is provided as an optional session after each junior day program concludes (approximately 3:30 p.m.). The training is expected to last approximately one hour.

YQCA is a national youth livestock quality assurance program in its fifth year and is required for all exhibitors who plan to show in the Kansas State Fair Grand Drive and/or Kansas Junior Livestock Show. Those who indicate during the registration process that they plan to stay and participate in the training will receive additional details as the event approaches.

The cost for each junior day is $20 per person for those who register by the deadline, and $25 per person for those who register after the deadline. Those who register after the deadline will not receive a t-shirt.

More details about the junior day programs may be found on the youth livestock program website, under Junior Producer Days: http://bit.ly/ksujrproducerdays.

More information also is available at http://www.youthlivestock.ksu.edu. For questions, please contact Lexie Hayes, youth livestock coordinator, at [email protected] or 785-532-1264.