Rev. 11/2014

Name: Address: 4-H Club: 4-H Leader: 4-H Age (as of 1/1): Years Showing 4-H Sheep: Record Started: Record Closed: Month/Day/Year Month/Day/Year

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials

are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status.

Why Keep Records?

Keeping records on your project can be interesting and fun - not dull or boring.

Good Records will: Help you learn about animals, their rate of growth, the feed they require, the cost

of the feed and their habits.

Help you plan future projects.

Let you know if you made or lost money - and how much.

Improve your management practices.

Give you a record of your project activities.

Keep this record as part of your personal 4-H Records. This information is helpful for you to plan future year’s market projects as well as, if you ever apply for 4-H awards or a 4-H scholarship. Remember - Records are no better than what YOU put into them! Objectives - To let 4-H Members:

Experience the obligation and responsibility required in a livestock enterprise.

Experience and cope with the “values” and “attitudes” of responsibility, in a

relatively unsupervised environment. Supervision will be on a periodic basis.

Contribute to the family table with meat, or to experience the marketing process

and system, through sale of the product.

Experience competition through showing the animal at local area organization sponsored shows, the fair, and state wide shows.

I understand that this is a completed Market Sheep Project Record Book as required.

4-H’ers Signature: 4-H Leader’s Signature:

MSU Montcalm Extension

211 W. Main Street, P.O. Box 368 Stanton, Michigan 48888

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/county/info/montcalm (989) 831-7500

Fax: (989) 831-7515

2

Montcalm County

4-H Sheep Program

Member’s Achievement Summary

Year:

Your Name:

Date of Birth: 4-H Age (as of 1/1):

School Attending: Grade:

Number of Years Showing 4-H Sheep in Montcalm County:

Have you participated in sheep projects outside of the county? Yes No

If Yes, list the activities and the number of years in each:

List some of the Sheep project activities you would like to participate in (outside of the fair) such as trips, shows, clinics/workshops, posters/projects, demonstrations, quiz bowl and judging team and WHY:

What do you want to improve this year in your sheep project?

3

My

Ma

rket

Sh

eep

Pro

ject

An

ima

l(s)

Fo

r P

rice

/Valu

e,

use

eith

er

the

Pu

rch

ase

Pri

ce

of

yo

ur

lam

bs o

r th

e m

ark

et

va

lue o

f th

e a

nim

als

at

the

tim

e o

f yo

ur

we

igh

t m

ea

su

rem

en

ts.

Fo

r in

form

atio

n o

n d

ete

rmin

ing

yo

ur

cu

rren

t m

ark

et

va

lue

, co

nta

ct

the

MS

U M

on

tca

lm E

xte

nsio

n O

ffic

e.

Th

e m

eth

od

of

we

igh

t is

askin

g h

ow

yo

u m

ea

su

red

yo

ur

anim

al’s

we

igh

t. T

here

are

ma

ny w

ays t

o w

eig

h y

ou

r m

ark

et

anim

al.

If

the

yo

un

g a

nim

al is

lig

ht

en

ou

gh

, you

ca

n u

se y

ou

r o

wn

ho

me

sca

le –

Ju

st

we

igh

yo

urs

elf h

old

ing

th

e a

nim

al a

nd

with

ou

t th

e

an

ima

l.

Su

btr

act

the

diffe

ren

ce

an

d y

ou

will

ha

ve

yo

ur

anim

als

we

igh

t.

Oth

er

me

tho

ds o

f re

co

rdin

g a

we

igh

t fo

r yo

ur

ma

rke

t la

mb

are

a t

raditio

nal liv

esto

ck s

cale

. C

lose a

pp

roxim

atio

ns w

ith

tools

su

ch

as a

we

igh

t ta

pe

are

als

o m

eth

od

s o

f m

ea

su

rin

g a

w

eig

ht.

B

e s

ure

to

de

scri

be

you

r m

eth

od

of

me

asu

rem

en

t o

n t

his

wo

rksh

ee

t.

Sh

ee

p

Nu

mb

er

Ea

r T

ag

N

um

be

r N

am

e

Bre

ed

(s)

Co

lor(

s)

Pu

rch

ase

d (

P)

or

Ra

ise

d (

R)

Se

x

Be

gin

nin

g

We

igh

t F

inis

he

d

We

igh

t

Sid

e o

f E

ar

Da

te

Da

te

Pri

ce

/Va

lue

M

eth

od

M

eth

od

4

My 4-H Sheep Project Photographs Be creative. The more photographs the better, but a completed record book should at least have a beginning photograph and a finished picture. You are encouraged to be in the photo with your project animal(s) and include more photographs. You should also include captions on your pictures that at least include the date of the photograph. You may use additional pages.

5

My

4-H

Sh

eep

Pro

ject

Fee

d R

eco

rd a

nd

Ex

pen

ses

In t

his

se

ctio

n, yo

u w

ill c

alc

ula

te y

ou

r co

st

to fe

ed

yo

ur

ma

rke

t la

mb

s.

Re

co

rd b

y m

on

ths a

mo

un

ts o

f fe

ed

pu

rcha

se

d,

we

igh

ed

ou

t o

r fe

d d

uri

ng

ea

ch

mo

nth

. F

or

gra

in m

ine

rals

, re

cord

the

am

ou

nt

an

d c

ost

of

gra

in, a

mo

un

t a

nd

co

st

of

min

era

ls in

clu

din

g c

om

me

rcia

l m

ixtu

re (

pro

tein

, m

ine

ral, s

alt,

etc

.)

Bra

nd

na

me

s d

o n

ot

ma

tte

r b

ut

co

nte

nt

an

d c

ost

do

.

Ho

me

gro

wn

fe

ed

sh

ould

be

lis

ted

by f

air

ma

rke

t valu

e.

To

sim

plify

this

ch

art

, yo

u d

o n

ot ha

ve

to

we

igh

yo

ur

fee

d e

very

fe

edin

g.

Avera

ge

s a

re o

k a

nd

en

co

ura

ge

d.

Th

is r

ep

ort

sh

ould

be

for

the

anim

als

th

at

yo

u a

re p

lan

nin

g t

o t

ake

to

the

fair

.

If y

ou

are

fe

edin

g m

ore

an

ima

ls t

han

yo

ur

ma

rke

t sh

ee

p,

sim

ply

fin

d th

e a

vera

ge

pri

ce

pe

r la

mb

an

d m

ultip

ly t

he

ave

rag

e

by t

he

nu

mb

er

of

anim

als

th

at yo

u a

re e

xh

ibitin

g a

t th

e f

air

.

M

on

thly

co

st (f

eed

) =

Cost

of

the

fe

ed

(p

er

lb.)

x lb

s.

use

d.

M

on

thly

Cost

(ha

y)

= n

um

ber

of

ba

les fe

d x

co

st

pe

r b

ale

.

FE

ED

TY

PE

P

rio

r to

Ap

ril

Ap

ril

Ma

y

Ju

ne

Ju

ly

TO

TA

L

Type o

f G

rain

:

Lbs.

Use

d

Cost

of

Feed (

per

lb.)

Month

ly C

ost

Type o

f C

oncentr

ate

s:

Lbs.

Use

d

Cost

of

Feed (

per

lb.)

Month

ly C

ost

Type o

f M

inera

ls:

Lbs.

Use

d

Cost

of

Feed (

per

lb.)

Month

ly C

ost

Type o

f H

ay (

Qualit

y):

Num

ber

of

Bale

s F

ed

Cost

Per

Bale

Month

ly C

ost

MO

NT

HLY

FE

ED

TO

TA

L

Fin

d the s

um

of

your

month

ly c

osts

TO

TA

L F

EE

D C

OS

T

6

My 4-H Sheep Project Feed Ingredients Attach a Feed Ingredients Slip/Nutritional Analysis from each of your feed sources. If the feed is mixed in a mill, ask the mill operator for a list of ingredients. If a slip is not available, please describe your feed sources as best as possible.

Atta

ch F

eed

Slip H

ere

7

Exp

en

se

Ite

ms

P

rio

r to

Ap

ril

Ap

ril

Ma

y

Ju

ne

Ju

ly

Pro

ject

To

tals

($

)

Mo

nth

ly F

ee

d T

ota

l (

from

pg.

6)

Ve

teri

na

ry C

ha

rge

Be

dd

ing

In

se

cticid

es

Fittin

g &

Sh

ow

ing

Su

pp

lies

Tru

ckin

g

Ma

rke

ting

of

Anim

al

Mis

ce

llan

eo

us

Mo

nth

ly T

ota

ls

My

4-H

Sh

eep

Pro

ject

Exp

en

ses

on

Pro

ject

An

ima

l In

this

se

ctio

n, yo

u w

ill c

alc

ula

te y

ou

r co

st

to p

rep

are

yo

ur

Ma

rke

t S

he

ep

Pro

ject

for

the

fa

ir

an

d a

uctio

n.

Ple

ase

fee

l fr

ee t

o in

clu

de

att

ach

me

nts

of

actu

al e

xp

en

se

s w

ith

yo

ur

record

bo

ok.

TO

TA

L E

XP

EN

SE

S F

OR

TH

IS A

NIM

AL

8

My

4-H

Sh

eep

Pro

ject

Wei

gh

t R

eco

rd

A

To

tal

Nu

mb

er

of

Sh

eep

in

Re

co

rd

B

To

tal

Fee

d C

ost

(fro

m p

g.

6)

- F

or

All

An

ima

ls

$

C

Avera

ge F

ee

d C

ost

per

An

imal

(C =

B/A

) $

D

To

tal

Sh

ee

p E

xp

en

ses (

Fro

m p

g.

8)

- F

or

All A

nim

als

$

E

Avera

ge T

ota

l E

xp

en

ses p

er

An

imal

(E =

D/A

) $

F

G

H

I J

K

L

M

N

Ea

r T

ag

N

um

be

r S

tart

ing

W

eig

ht

(lb

s.)

Date

of

Sta

rtin

g

We

igh

t

Fin

ish

ed

W

eig

ht

(lb

s.)

Date

of

Fin

ish

ed

W

eig

ht

We

igh

t G

ain

ed

(l

bs

.)

K

= I –

G

Day

s o

f F

ee

d

L

= #

of

Days

fro

m

H t

o J

Ave

rag

e

Dail

y G

ain

(l

bs

./d

ay)

M

= K

/L

Co

st

Pe

r P

ou

nd

of

Ga

in (

$/l

b.)

N =

C/K

9

Your Market Sheep Project Break Even Price 4-H animals are sold by the pound at our 4-H Livestock Auction. Find out what bid price (per lb.) you need to get at the 4-H Livestock Sale to break even on your 4-H Market Sheep Project.

What is the current selling price of sheep (per lb.)? This live weight price should be current as of June 1 of current year. Would you have been able to make a profit selling on the open market?

Why?

What does your Average Daily Gain (pg. 9, M) tell you about your market lamb?

Sheep producers must try to reduce their Cost Per Pound of Gain (pg. 9, N) while maintaining a proper Average Daily Gain. What are some ways that you can reduce your cost per pound of gain and maintain or increase your average daily gain?

A B C D E F

Ear Tag

Number

Average Total Expenses per Market Animal (from pg. 9, E)

Purchase Price/Value

(from pg. 4)

Total Animal Expense

D = B + C

Finished Weight

(from pg. 4)

Break Even Price/Pound

F = D/E

($/lb.)

Sale Animal #1

Note: This number is the same for each

lamb.

Sale Animal #2

Other

10

11

Know Your Cuts of Meat Match the cuts of a sheep carcass to the wholesale cuts of the lamb; use the list below:

Of the eight wholesale cuts of meat listed above, which two cuts are the most valuable?

What is your favorite food from lamb?

Which wholesale cut (one of the eight listed above) does your favorite come from?

Name at least 5 products produced from sheep, other than meat:

Breast Neck Flank Foreshank Leg Loin Rack Shoulder Example: __3 A_ LEG

A B

C

D E

G

H F

2

3

4

1

5

8

7

6

12

My 4-H Sheep Matching Game Match 20 of the 25 listed Parts of Sheep:

___ Back or Rack

___ Belly

___ Breast or Brisket

___ Cannon

___ Dock

___ Face

___ Fore Flank

___ Forearm

___ Forehead

___ Hips

___ Hock

___ Hoof

___ Knee

___ Leg

___ Loin

___ Middle

___ Muzzle

___ Neck

___ Pastern

___ Poll

___ Rear Flank

___ Rump

___ Shoulder

___ Twist

___ Top of Shoulder

Marketing My 4-H Market Animals

One of the most important parts of any market animal project is marketing. This includes writing letters and talking to prospective buyers. It also includes knowing the nutritional value of your product. CONTACTING POTENTIAL BUYERS: Sending out letters and making personal contacts are good marketing tools for your market project. In your letter, you should introduce yourself, state why you are participating in the 4-H Auction, let them know the dates and times of the sale and why you would like them to come while keeping your letter to only one page with proper margins. Remember, you are representing the Montcalm County 4-H Program in your letter. With this in mind you should never pressure the prospective buyer into buying your animal. A better tactic is to invite the buyer to come early to meet you and see your animals. A positive approach will work better. A good letter should also be personalized. To give your letter a more personal feel, make sure you spell the individual and business’s name correctly and that you PERSONALLY sign each letter. Feel free to personalize your individual letters as well to have the buyer feel like you are only writing your letter to them. ATTACH A SAMPLE COPY OF YOUR MARKETING LETTER. If you would like to personalize it, address the letter to: Chris Clover, c/o MSU Montcalm Extension, PO Box 368, Stanton, Michigan 48888. How many letters have you sent ?_____ Phone Contacts?_____ Personal Contacts?_____ Another important part of marketing your animal for the future is to write THANK YOU NOTES. In your note, you should thank the buyer for taking time to come to the auction, supporting the 4-H program and for purchasing at the sale. Assuming Chris Clover (at the address above) purchased your market beef project ATTACH A SAMPLE THANK YOU NOTE here.

Some ideas to include in your Marketing and/or Thank You Letters:

How many years have you been involved in this project area

Where you are from; a little bit about you & your family

A little bit about your project animal – where it was purchased; your care & feeding regiment;

What you plan to do with the money from this project; your future goals

Include a funny or interesting story that may have happened to you during this project

What were some goals you set at the beginning of this project (Marketing Letter)? Did you achieve them (Thank You Letter)?

What were some challenges you encountered? Did you overcome them? How? (Thank You Letter)

13

EXTRA CREDIT for My Market Sheep Project An outstanding 4-H project is one that goes above and beyond what is expected. This section will help you identify projects that you can do to improve your market record book and have a better chance at receiving an outstanding ribbon.

Write a report on one of the following topics. Report must be at least one page:

FOLKPATTERNS: Visit with a former sheep or livestock farmer to compare

and contrast Today’s Sheep Projects with those in the past. What is better today? What was better in the past? OR Describe the significance of using

wool in your family‘s history.

LEADERSHIP: How you have become a better leader though your years in the

4-H Sheep Project. Describe what you have done and how you have grown.

ANIMAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE: Describe the proper care and nutrition

of your market animal OR a veterinary practice, procedure in sheep. Other sheep topics may be used for your report.

PHOTOGRAPHY REPORT. All photos are to be taken by the exhibitor (you). Choose

one of the following topics:

My Sheep Project: Keep a photo journal of your market sheep project.

Photographs should represent the entire length of the project. A minimum of 12 photos from eight DIFFERENT TIMES must be included. Photos do not all have

to be of the animal. They could be of club meetings, field trips, shows, etc.

Farm Visit: Create a photo journal of a large sheep operation. A minimum of

12 photographs are required. ENTOMOLOGY: Create an Insect Collection with a minimum of 8 insects that affect sheep. Note, this could be pests, such as flies and mosquitoes or insects that eat crops that pigs use as feed such as corn, hay or oats. You can include insects that can eat and destroy wool ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: Draw a diagram of your sheep set up. From that

diagram, show how you can protect resources such as Groundwater. Include manure management and storage of hazardous materials. Check with MSU Extension’s Groundwater resources for more information. FOODS & NUTRITION: Outline the nutritional content of Sheep (it varies depending on the cut.) Include sample recipes of “healthy” sheep foods. CLOTHING/TEXTILES: Create a display that shows wool production from the raw

farm product to the shelves in a store OR Display a sewing project from wool. PLANT SCIENCE: Create a display of field crops that are beneficial to a sheep‘s diet

OR using actual samples create a project that outlines a certain agriculture food source from seed to feed.

14

4-H Sheep Record Book Score Sheet

(Ages 12 to 15) 4-H Member: 4-H Club:

15

Page

Points Possible

Your Points

1-3 COVER SHEET & MEMBER ACHIEVEMENT SUMMARY 5

All Information is neat and complete.

All questions are answered.

4 4-H SHEEP PROJECT ANIMALS 10

Information complete on PRIMARY animal.

All weights/prices recorded.

5 4-H PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHS 10

A beginning and finished photograph is included.

6 MONTHLY FEED COSTS 10

Table completed and totals tabulated.

7 FEED INGREDIENTS 10

Feed slip attached OR the ingredients are listed

8 PROJECT EXPENSES 10

Table completed and total expenses calculated.

9 WEIGHT RECORD 10

Calculations are completed and questions answered.

10 MARKET SHEEP BREAK EVEN PRICE 10

Calculations completed and questions completed.

11-12 KNOW YOUR CUTS OF MEAT & SHEEP PARTS 20

Worksheets completed.

13 MARKETING 5

Questions answered.

Samples of a marketing letter and thank you note are attached.

14 EXTRA CREDIT:

A project from page 14 (or another worthy project).

Points are at Judge’s discretion.

TOTAL POINTS

A: 100 - 80; B: 79 - 60; C: 59 - 10