Livestock Market Animal Auction Family Guide

Key Dates & Timeline

Staying on top of deadlines is one of the most important things your family can do to ensure a smooth auction experience. Missing a deadline can result in your animal being disqualified from the sale. Here is a complete timeline for 2026.

Market Animal Ownership Deadlines

Market Deadlines

Eligibility & Ownership Requirements

To participate in the auction, every exhibitor must meet the following eligibility requirements. These are non-negotiable — the Sifting Committee reviews all animals and reserves the right to disqualify exhibitors for cause.

Exhibitor Eligibility

• Must be an enrolled 4-H member of San Juan County 4-H.
• Must be actively caring for the animal as a 4-H project.
• Must follow all rules of 4-H, the San Juan County Fair, and the LMAAC.
• Only market stock in official 4-H projects is eligible for auction.

How Many Animals May I Auction?

Each exhibitor may enter:

• One large animal (Market Beef, Market Swine, Market Lamb, or Meat Goat), OR
• One or two small animal exhibits (any combination from: trio of layer pullets/ducks, broilers, turkey, pheasants, dozen eggs, or meat pen of 3 rabbits).
• One large animal AND one small animal exhibit.

Ribbon Requirements

Only animals receiving a Grand Blue, Reserve Blue, Blue, or Red Danish ribbon at judging are eligible for the auction. White ribbon animals or projects are not allowed in the auction but may be sold by private treaty.

Weight Standards by Species

All animals must meet minimum weight requirements to be eligible for auction. Animals below minimum weight at final weigh-in will be automatically entered into a feeder class. Animals above the maximum will be sold at the maximum class weight, not their actual weight — the exception is Market Beef, which has no maximum and is always sold at actual weight. If you feel that you are close to minimum or maximum weights, contact your species superintendent early.

Market Beef

Minimum weight: 950 lbs
Maximum weight: None
Heifers or steers; steers ideally under 24 months

Alternative Market Beef

Minimum weight: 700 lbs
Maximum weight: 1,000 lbs
Dexter, Lowline Angus or other small breed; 18-30 months

Market Lamb

Minimum weight: 85 lbs
Maximum weight: 160 lbs
Ewes or wethers; born Dec 1 or later; no permanent teeth; slick shorn 7 days prior or wool under 1/4″

Market Swine

Minimum weight: 200 lbs
Maximum weight: 300 lbs
Gilts or barrows; born Jan 1 or later of fair year

Market Goat

Minimum weight: 70 lbs
Maximum weight: 120 lbs
Wethers or does; born Dec 1 or later; no permanent teeth; at least 50% recognized meat breed

Broiler Chickens

Minimum weight: 3 lbs
Maximum weight: None
Max 9 weeks of age; sold as trio of same breed

Turkey

Minimum weight: 14 lbs
Maximum weight: 30 lbs
Max 24 weeks of age; sold as single bird

Pheasants

Minimum weight: 1 lbs
Maximum weight: 3 lbs
Max 18 weeks of age; sold as trio of same breed

Market Rabbits

Minimum weight: 3 lbs
Maximum weight: 5.5 lbs
Max 10 weeks of age; sold as trio of same breed

Pullet Layers

Minimum weight: N/A
Maximum weight: N/A
4-7 months of age; sold as trio of same breed large fowl

Dozen Farm Fresh Eggs

Sold: By a full dozen
Youth will provide a fresh dozen to buyer

Alternative Market Poultry

Interested in an alternative species such as Quail, Squab, Heritage Breed Turkey, or Ostrich? Submit a written proposal of appropriate eligibility requirements to the LMAAC prior to project commencement for approval.

Required Forms & Deadlines

No animal will be sold at auction without all required forms completed and submitted on time. Every form must be signed by the appropriate parties. The table below lists every form, its deadline, and a direct link to the form.

Who Signs What?

• Youth Member – Intent to Sell; LMAAC Memorandum of Understanding; Producer Affidavit
• Parent or Guardian – Intent to Sell; LMAAC Memorandum of Understanding; Producer Affidavit
• Club Leader – LMAAC Memorandum of Understanding
• Producer of Animal – Producer Affidavit (make sure you have this form when purchasing your animals from a producer)

Early Weigh-In – May 30, 2026

Early weigh-in is highly encouraged for all large animal exhibitors (Beef, Swine, Lamb, Meat Goat). This is also when auction tags are distributed and animals are officially tagged, banded, or tattooed.

If you are unable to attend the early weigh in, please contact an LMAAC Chair as soon as possible and provide an animal weight as soon as possible.

What to Bring

• Your animal — ready to be weighed and tagged
• Completed Intent to Sell form (or submit by July 1 if approved exception)
• Signed LMAAC Memorandum of Understanding (or submit by July 1 if approved exception)

Tagging

Large animals must be tagged, banded, or tattooed prior to the fair. Tags are available at the early weigh-in. Animals should be tagged at or before final weigh-in. All sheep and goats must also be identified per the USDA-APHIS Scrapie Mandatory Identification Program. All swine should have an RFID tag.

Final Weigh-In – August 12, 2026

Final weigh-in takes place the Wednesday before the fair. This is your last opportunity to get everything in order before the auction. The Sifting Committee will be present to review all animals. Order of species rotates each year — check with the LMAAC for the 2026 order.

What to Bring

• Your animal (should be dry and ready for a final weight)
• Completed Producer Affidavit with Market Health Record for your species (turn in to LMAAC Chairperson by 3:00 pm)
• All health records maintained throughout the project
• Market Beef sellers: completed hauling slip and bill of sale — brand inspection by WA State Brand Inspector required, seller must be present

Sifting Committee Review

The Sifting Committee evaluates every animal for health, medications, age, proper castration, weight, and animal unruliness. Any animal called into question will not be allowed entry until the committee has evaluated it. The committee may disqualify an exhibitor from the fair and auction for cause.

Auction Day – August 15, 2026

Auction day is the moment your youth has worked toward all year. Here is what to expect and what you need to do to have a successful sale.

Auction Order

Animals sell in the following order within each tier. Large animals, small animals, and eggs are interspersed:

1. Reserve Champions — Large animal, small animal, then eggs
2. Grand Champions — Large animal, small animal, then eggs
3. High Blue — Large animal, small animal, then eggs
4. 2nd Blue, 3rd Blue, All Remaining Blue — Large animal, small animal, then eggs
5. High Red, 2nd Red, 3rd Red, All Remaining Red — Large animal, small animal, then eggs

Auction order sheets will be available by 10:00 a.m. Saturday

Seller Must Be Present

Sellers must be present to bring their animal into the auction ring — no proxies allowed. The only exception is for high school seniors leaving for college during fair dates; a letter must be mailed to the LMAAC Chairperson(s) prior to August 1 for approval.

Securing Buyers

Each exhibitor/seller is responsible for securing at least three potential buyers or bidders for each animal before auction day. This is one of the most important things a seller can do to ensure a strong sale price for their animal. Families new to buyer outreach should contact their club members, club leader, or LMAAC early for guidance and ideas.

How Animals Are Priced

• Large animals (beef, swine, lamb, goat) are sold by the pound.
• Poultry, rabbits, and eggs are sold by the lot.
• Animals above the maximum class weight are sold at the maximum class weight only. Market Beef is always sold at actual weight.

Turn Back Option

A buyer may choose to ‘turn back’ a purchased animal. The animal is resold at the Turn Back Auction at the end of the sale. If the Turn Back bid is higher than the original auction price, the seller receives the higher amount. Turn Back Auction proceeds otherwise go to the LMAAC Fund. The youth are not responsible for holding their animal during the Turn Back Auction an LMAAC member will take control of the animal.

Seller Responsibilities

Participating in the auction is a privilege that comes with important responsibilities. Every seller is expected to fulfill the following:

1. Secure at least three potential buyers or bidders before auction day.
2. Be personally present at early weigh-in, final weigh-in, and auction day.
3. Care for your animal until it leaves the fairgrounds or until livestock release time on Sunday, August 16.
4. Market beef sellers must provide buyers with a rope halter, which must remain on the steer in the barn.
5. Rabbit, poultry, and egg sellers must contact the buyer to arrange delivery of live or processed animals or eggs. Sellers must be prepared to slaughter, process, and wrap rabbit or poultry at the buyer’s request.
6. Write a personal thank-you letter to your buyer after the auction. Your club leader must witness this and notify the LMAAC Treasurer that it has been done.
7. Follow all USDA withdrawal requirements for feed additives and medications. If an animal is condemned at slaughter for a violation, the loss is the seller’s responsibility.

Quality Assurance

All 4-H market animal exhibitors are required to be educated on the Quality Assurance program for their project species. Materials are available through your club leader or the WSU Extension Office. Questions about QA requirements? Contact Clinton or Sara directly.