A cow is shown at the 2017 Washington County Fair. Photo by Sally Y. Hart

While the Washington County Fair is still over seven months away, preparations are underway to get livestock ready.

The annual 4-H and FFA beef project members are reminded that the annual market beef weigh-in will be held Saturday (December 16) at the Kalona Sale Barn. Ten calves may be weighed for the county fair and out-of-county events. Bucket-bottle calves shown at the 2017 fair and weighed in for the 2018 fair are eligible to be entered in the returning bucket bottle classes, market beef classes, or the dairy steer class. Breeding heifers do not need to be weighed at the December weigh-in.

It costs $1.50 per ear tag for all beef and retinal scanning will be done for those nominating for the State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben with an $8 per head fee. All payment should be brought Saturday. The weigh-in runs from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.