The Routt County 4-H Scholarship committee is embarking on a new way to send 4-H youth to college. We’ve started our own cowherd! With the proceeds from the calves being used to fund the 4-H scholarship program. Ten ranches have agreed to run one extra cow for us and then annually deliver that calf for the 4-H Scholarship Committee to sell.

Here’s how the program works:
Participating Ranchers tend one of the cows for as long as the cow raises a calf. The average cow has a 6-7 year life span.

Cow sponsors will provide the funds to purchase the cow at the BBQ and Auction on Friday, December 3rd. Any monies bid above the purchase price will also go towards the 4-H scholarship committee.

You will receive pictures of the cow, the ranch and family where your cow resides. You and other sponsors, along with the ranchers will have the opportunity to get together annually and see the calf your cow raised at our annual BBQ. More cows will be available in future years.

Your sponsorship is valid as long as the cow raises a calf. When she no longer does that, your involvement is over or you can reinvest in another cow!

Here’s what you do not have to do:
Chop ice all winter long, feed her every day, make sure she gets to summer pasture and make sure she gets home, be part of the annual branding crew, preg check her, etc. You get to be in the ranching business without all the labor!!

What does 4-H get?
At today’s cattle prices with 10 participating ranches, we will annually receive about $5,000 in income. Cows will be purchased at a minimum of $1,200, and the average calf price today is $500 per head. So if your cow lives an average of 6 years, your investment will return to the 4-H scholarship fund $3,000 dollars over that period.