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Youth Education
Livestock Programs
Overview •
Beef
• Dairy •Sheep
• Horses
• Swine
Overview
The Arkansas 4-H program is supported by 7,619 volunteer leaders, as well as
county extension faculty, and many allied industries. Four-H enrollment in
livestock and poultry projects totals 22,245. This number represents 24.4
percent of the total state 4-H enrollment (91,020). The horse, beef and dairy
projects are the three largest.
There are many educational opportunities for 4-H members to increase their
knowledge and life skills development beyond the local level. State conferences
have been developed for horse, beef, sheep, dairy goats and livestock judging.
Competitive activities include livestock shows at the county, district and state
level; state and national judging contests for general livestock, horse, dairy
and meats; and district and state level public speaking contests.
Beef : The Arkansas 4-H Beef Conference is
conducted every other year for 4-H youth, parents, volunteer leaders and county
faculty on nutrition, health, live animal evaluation, marketing, grooming and
showmanship. Specialist works with county agents in conducting county and
district programs on beef cattle management, selection, grooming and
showmanship.
Contact: Steve Jones,
Extension Specialist - Livestock/4-H, (501) 671-2067
Dairy: Specialist works closely with the state 4-H
office, county agents and leaders to provide dairy youth with educational
workshops and activities for both dairy cattle and goats. Clinics include the
annual 4-H Dairy Goat Clinic held at the Ferndale 4-H Center and Four-State
Dairy Days at Bentonville for cattle as well as 4 to 6 evaluation clinics for
4-H and FFA. We work with fairs and judging contests throughout the state,
including the Arkansas State Fair. Each year, youth are offered the opportunity
to attend the National 4-H Dairy Conference and 2-3 area or national judging
contests with the accompanying tours of farms and the industry.
Contact: Jodie
Pennington, Extension Dairy Specialist, Phone Number: (501) 671-2190
Sheep: The Arkansas 4-H Sheep Conference is conducted
each year for youth, parents, county faculty, and FFA Advisors. This conference
is cosponsored by the Arkansas Sheep Council. Specialist works with county
Extension agents in conducting county and district programs on market lamb
selection, management, nutrition, sheering and showmanship.
Contact: Steve Jones,
Extension Specialist - Livestock/4-H, (501) 671-2067
Horses: Five district horse shows and a state horse
show are conducted each year. Forty-two 4-H members and their horses compete in
the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships along with a horse judging team
and four public speakers. An Arkansas 4-H Horse Conference is conducted in March
for 4-H youth, volunteer leaders, parents and county faculty on horse health,
training, nutrition, selection and safety. Specialist works with county agents
in conducting county programs on horse care and training.
Contact: Steve Jones,
Extension Specialist - Livestock/4-H, (501) 671-2067
Swine: Specialist works with the state 4-H office,
county Extension agents, leaders and vo-ag instructors on swine programs,
projects and 4-H record books. Work with these groups also includes swine
competitive activities involving county fairs, district fairs and the swine
shows at the state fair. The market hog show at the state fair has grown from
less than 100 head in the early to mid-eighties to 1,200 to 1,300 head in 1995
and 1996.
Contact: Steve Jones,
Extension Specialist - Livestock/4-H, (501) 671-2067 and Robert Felsman,
Extension Livestock Management Specialist, (870) 543-8530
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