Dakota County 4-H market beef ID details; ID animals by Feb. 17

It's time to start working with your 4-H market beef project. 

• You will need to identify all 4-H market beef projects including market steers, market heifers and dairy steers.
• All market beef MUST be owned (not leased) and identified by February 17, 2026
• Preferred ID is a MN 4-H RFID ear tag.  Please refer to the 2026 4-H Beef Requirements sheet for more information.
• Registered animals must have 1.)  MN 4-H RFID ear tag, 2.) a tattoo and 3.) registration papers that match the tattoo.
• Registration papers are REQUIRED for registered animals and must be uploaded in 4-H Online. 

Key points:

1. Market beef (includes market steers, market heifers and dairy steers) must be tagged with an official MN 4-H ear tag by Feb. 17. Ear tag order form link below.
2. 4-H families are responsible for entering their 4-H market beef in 4-H Online by the statewide ID deadline of Feb. 17. This is a firm deadline and has consequences if missed.
3. 4-H families are responsible for tagging their own market beef. Ear taggers are available to borrow from the Extension office. Request ear tagger when ordering tags.
4. Not IDing market beef? Please complete the ear tag order form to indicate that you are not IDing any market beef to ensure all families are accounted for and receive tags.
5. Dakota County 4-H will not host a central weigh in.  
6. If an animal is already tagged with a RFID tag, do not remove that tag; that will be accepted in place of a 4-H tag.  You must list all 15 digits of non-4-H tags on the ID.  Please refer to the 2026 4-H Beef Requirements sheet for more information.

Market beef identification process for Dakota County is outlined below. 

Identification steps:

1. Read through the 4-H Beef Information Sheet and Minnesota 4-H AnSci Updates guide; these documents include information on changes, identification, beef project rules, classes, State Fair participation and much more.  Review the 2026 4-H Beef Identification Requirements.
2. Order ear tags using the Market Beef Ear Tag Order Form no later than Jan. 30 to order tags. Request an ear tagger on the ear tag order form if you need to borrow a tagger. Staff will contact you to schedule tag pick-up.
3. Pick-up tags from the Extension office. You will be emailed when tags are ready.
4. Tag your animal and complete the Market Beef and Dairy Steer ID Worksheets (market beef steers, market heifers, and dairy steers). Completing the form will help in entering market beef information into 4-H Online. Ear tags must be in the animal's ears by Feb. 17.
5. Enter data in 4-H Online before the Feb. 17 statewide ID deadline.  4-H beef families are responsible for entering their market beef ID information into 4-H Online no later than Feb.17. Refer to the Animal ID’ing in 4-H Online user guide for detailed instructions on entering your animals in 4-H Online. If you are unable to enter your ID information into 4-H Online, please bring your completed Market Beef or Dairy Steer ID worksheet to the Extension Office for assistance in entering your ID information into 4-H Online before 4:30 p.m. on Feb 13 to allow staff to assist with the process. 

Breeding heifers, cow/calf pairs, and prospect calves (steers and heifers) must be owned, tagged, or tattooed and identified in 4-H Online by May 15, 2026.  More information on identifying breeding beef will be emailed to families enrolled in the beef project in April.

For assistance please contact Jess Beissel at [email protected] or 651-210-0762.