4-H Livestock Record Book common errors:

1. 1st page – record start date of your project not the end of your project (date signed). Make sure year is also included in the date.
2. Name/number of veterinarian (Page 2). Even if you don’t use the vet, please put a vet name and number down in case of an emergency.
3. Animal inventory (Page 4) – N/A if none at beginning and end of project. Animal inventory is only used for any animals you kept after the 4-H year. Breeding heifers, goats, etc. or if you raise your own animals then these will go in your animal inventory. If you purchase your steer, pig, lamb, goat, or rabbit, DO NOT record in animal inventory, record on animal purchase record ONLY. You will only record an animal in ending inventory if you keep them after the 4-H year has ended (Sept. 30th) like your breeding animals.
4. Breeding supplements (Page 5) – include a supplement page for each breeding project and include all details applicable.
5. Health Record (Page 7) – lot # & expiration date, call vet if you don’t know…don’t leave this blank unless it isn’t applicable. Shearing, clipping, cleaning feed tubs/waterers are examples that can be listed here.
6. Feed expenses (Page 9) – Total the $ amount and the unit amount at the bottom of the page. If you have different units of measure (pounds or tons or bales), either convert them into tons or pounds, or use a line to separate each total in the amount column.
7. 4-H enrollment fees, commissions from sale, and fuel need to be listed as an OTHER EXPENSE (Page 10). Don’t leave other expenses blank, there are always some costs that fit into this category. (show clothes, show stick, comb, sale commission fees)
8. Fill out all spaces and columns on financial summary (Page 12)
9. Market Animal Performance (Page 13) – separate pages for separate animals fed differently….
10. Story (Page 15) – appropriate length for age group and check your spelling.
11. Pictures (Page 15) – all year during your project showing progress, not just fair pictures! And please put captions with each photo. 4 minimum or you will lose points.
12. MQA training date (Page 16) – make sure to fill this in (date and location). An easy one to fill in.
13. GOALS (Page 16) – Use complete sentences.
14. Check your math! A lot of math errors on financial summary page.
15. Cover filled out completely, it’s super easy to fill the first page out completely.
16. At the top of each page, make sure to write in your project in the columns, even if you only have one project.
17. Please turn the record book in a binder or a binder-type folder, no loose papers in a folder as the pages will get lost.
18. If you had more than one livestock project – you can combine them all into one book and add pages as needed. If you have a horse, it is in a separate e-record book.