Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

Watauga 4-H Livestock Club Establishes Roots

For an organization that just formed in December 2006, the Watauga 4-H Livestock Club has wasted little time getting organized. Watauga County is home to variety of livestock—cattle, sheep, goats and horses—but before last December, the county had no organization for youth ages 5 to 19 interested in livestock. Currently, the 4-H Livestock Club has 10 members, and numbers continue to grow with each meeting.

In February, club members elected the following officers: Daniel Brown, president; Titus Mough, vice president; Ethan Critcher, secretary; and Andrew Critcher, treasurer.

The meetings include an educational program to teach club members about livestock and the livestock industry. Currently, club members are learning the basics of livestock evaluation.

“It’s important for youth to learn about the livestock industry,” said Watauga Extension Agent and 4-H Livestock Club Coach Callie Birdsell. “It not only helps them learn where food comes from, but it provides them with the skills necessary to select superior animals if they wish to purchase livestock of their own.”

Many of the club members are currently involved in the livestock industry, so they set as their first club goal attendance at livestock judging competitions. Judging competitions allow youth to highlight their skills in live animal selection. Youth are divided into teams of three or four contestants, and they must then evaluate classes—pens of four animals, either cattle, sheep or swine—of livestock based on phenotypic (physical) characteristics. Desirable characteristics in market animals are a high degree of muscling, low amount of fat cover, balance and volume. Desirable characteristics in breeding animals are structural correctness, balance, volume and degree of muscling. Since January, Livestock Club members have studied these evaluation characteristics and practiced judging classes of beef cattle, sheep and swine via pictures.

Although the club had minimal time to prepare, they decided to attend the Virginia Tech Block and Bridle 4-H/FFA Livestock Judging Competition on March 17 in Blacksburg, Va. Seven club members, ranging in age from 6 to 19, participated. Because of fundraising efforts of club members, participants’ lodging, meals and club t-shirts were provided at no cost to the individuals.

During the competition, the seven club members were divided into two teams, both of which competed at the junior level. Club members had to evaluate three classes of beef animals, three classes of swine and two classes of sheep. In total, 99 teams competed, including one team from the Watauga High School FFA program.

“We looked at this competition as a learning experience,” said Birdsell, as this was the first time club members had evaluated live animals. “I’m very proud of what the kids did, in going out there and giving it their best effort. This competition gives us an opportunity to see where the club members are at in terms of their judging, and what it is we need to work on.”

In the coming months, the Livestock Club will focus on how to give a set of oral reasons during a judging competition. Oral reasons are youth’s justification as to why s/he placed a class of animals. According to Birdsell, oral reasons complete the judging circle. It provides youth experience in defending decisions and developing public speaking skills.

The 4-H Livestock Club is always looking for new members. There is no cost to join, and members do not need to own livestock, but must have a sincere interest in learning about livestock and the livestock industry. For more info about the Watauga 4-H Livestock Club, contact Karee Mackey or Callie Birdsell at the Watauga Cooperative Extension Office at 828-264-3061.