Beef Project
Project Description
Beef Project is an excellent way to learn about an important industry in Montana and the rest of the nation. Through this project, you can learn about all aspects of the beef industry, either by directly caring for a calf or by learning about beef through the 4-H achievement program in each level. You may raise a market calf or manage a breeding animal at any level. Youth wishing to enroll in Market Beef or Breeding Beef must also be enrolled in Level 1, 2, or 3. If you enroll in independent study, you are expected to have already completed the three levels of the beef project and have set some learning goals for your independent work.
Project Requirements
Project Books Required? No, but recommended
- Level 1 - Bite into Beef (BU8143)
- Level 2 - Here's the Beef (BU8144)
- Level 3 - Leading the Charge (BU8145)
Project books can be purchased here.
*** Each member must attend 3 workshops per the market project area to take your market animal to fair. Workshops are defined as an educational exercise lead by a project sup.
Project age limit? 8 and up 
What needs to be accomplished to move on to level 2?
- Learn about beef cattle- recognizing a healthy animal
- Breed identification - locating parts of the steer
- Judging - showmanship
- Halter breaking & fitting a steer
- 3 year in project
What needs to be accomplished to move on to level 3?
- Nutrients/Feed - feed ingredients
- Animal Behavior
- Judging reasons - showmanship
- Beef carcass composition & retail meat cuts
- 6 year in project
What needs to be accomplished to move on to the next levels?
- Knowledge & experience about beef cattle
- Leadership skills to help other project members
- Animal selection, judging, health and reproduction
- Financial records and marketing
- 6+ years in project
Project age limit? 8 and up
What should new members know?
- Important dates
- Possession date: December 12th, 2025
- Tagging forms due date: December 19th, 2025
- Tagging date: January 4th, 2026
- What is expected from members to have a successful project
- Basic equipment - Rope halter, water bucket, neck rope, feed pan, hose, wheelbarrow, shovel, pitchfork, brushes, scrubbers, show sheen, combs, show halter and shampoo
- Each member must attend 3 workshops per market project to participate in Fair.
- Each member must attend mandatory beef walk prior to fair to participate in Fair.
Dates for the 2025-2026 4-H Year
- October 19th at 12 p.m. in the Bill Hamilton Building
- November 23rd at 1 p.m. in the Bill Hamilton Building
- December 7th at 1:00 p.m. in the Bill Hamilton Building
- December 12th possession date
- December 19th tagging forms due by 5 p.m.
- January 4th tagging from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Bill Hamilton Scale House
- January 4th at 12:30 p.m. or following tagging in the Bill Hamilton Building
- February 8th at 1:30 p.m. in the Bill Hamilton Building
- March 15th at 1 p.m. in the Bill Hamilton Building
- April 12th at 1 p.m. in the Bill Hamilton Building
- April 12th weigh in/open scale 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Multi-Purpose Building
- May 3rd hoof trimming, showmanship practice and beef walking 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- June 7th 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Bill Hamilton Building
- June 7th open scale 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Bill Hamilton Building
- Please note this meeting does not count towards your 3 required workshops
Project Superintendent Information
Beef Superintendent: Matt Eckhart
Contact: cwbymt1973@gmail.com 406-461-0698
How will you be contacted? Email
Junior Superintendents: Sara Dearing
2026 4-H MARKET BEEF TAGGING
Possession date: Friday, December 12th, 2025
Tagging form(s) due: Friday, December 19th, 2025 by 5:00 p.m.
Tagging date: Sunday, January 4th, 2026
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Bill Hamilton Building Scale House
*All animals MUST be weighed and tagged January 4th - NO EXCEPTIONS
Beef Tagging Form
Rate of Gain Requirements(PDF, 31KB)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and the Montana State University Extension Service prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status. Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Director of Extension, Extension Service, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717