Livestock projects are not just exhibiting an animal at the fair and winning a ribbon.  Youth involved in livestock projects are responsible for the daily management and care for their animal which requires them to understand basic animal production practices.  This coming year (2012) there will be several opportunities to highlight youth’s knowledge in livestock projects, beyond the show ring.  SDSU Extension is working on putting together livestock skill-a-thons to be administered at area shows and livestock events.  These educational opportunities will test youth’s knowledge of livestock production through hands on activities.

To help youth prepare for these events there are many resources available.  Youth are encouraged to use these suggested resources as possible project materials for studying, giving demonstrations, or presentations.  These resources are full of activity and project ideas: 

• The Ohio State University Learning Lab Kits provide hands on activities for youth to practice their livestock management skills.  These are also great tools to use for demonstrations or presentations.  Contact the local 4-H/Youth Program Advisor or Megan Nielson (megan.nielson@sdstate.edu) on specie kits available for check out. 
•  The National 4-H Curriculum Animal Series is full of ideas for youth and activity leaders to do together.  They help guide youth through the various management practices in production by providing learning activities to maximize the youth’s experience in the project.  There are also several record keeping ideas and worksheets to help youth track their progress within the project.  Each 4H/Youth Program Advisor should have complete sets available for club members to check out.
• The Youth Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Plus Manual can be accessed online.  This is a great resource to help youth understand the importance of quality assurance. There are also activities to follow for the various topics. (http://www.pork.org/filelibrary/YouthPQAPlus/YPQAmanual.pdf)

Check iGrow or contact your local 4-H/Youth Program Advisor for upcoming events and opportunities.