4-H kids participate in livestock judging and grading clinic

Dylan Aufdenberg of the Tilsit 4-H club participated in the State 4-H meats contest February 6 at the University of Missouri campus. The event was held in the Eckles Hall meat lab and 4-H members were able to view a variety of classes plus identify cuts of meat. The Meat Identification and Judging Contest has been developed to encourage 4-H members to develop skills and abilities needed to enter and advance in careers in the meat industry. These activities are designed to encourage the development of broader analytical skills, critical thinking, the use and understanding of appropriate meat terminology, and the evaluation of meat animal products to optimize economic returns not only to them as producers, but to them as consumers as well.

Amber Barron, Lanson Cox, Levi Jansen, and Shane Jansen of the Delta 4-H Club participated in the 2016 University of Missouri (MU) Livestock Judging and Grading Clinic in Columbia, MO. The event was held March 5th at the Trowbridge Livestock Center on the MU campus. The 4-H members participated in a livestock judging and grading clinic which consisted of six breakout sessions. Sessions included judging market hogs, grading feeder calves, grading finished cattle, placing yearling heifers, evaluating market lambs and goats, and a session on best practices for exhibiting livestock at fairs and shows. After the breakout sessions, 4-Hers toured the MU meats lab and abattoir (French for slaughter house). During this part of the clinic the students saw firsthand hanging pork, lamb, beef, and goat. They toured the fabrication lab, learning how meat is processed into its primal cuts and seasoned.

These 4-Her’s also participated in the 4-H Livestock Judging Contest at Flickerwood Arena March 31. High individual in the senior category was Morgan Crutsinger and Amber Barron was second. In the Junior division, high individual was Hannah Brunke, followed by Lauren Crutsinger, Alicen Rhodes, Levi Jansen, and alternate Anna Ahrens. They qualify for the state contest September 10 at the University of Missouri campus. Other participants were Landon Ahrens, Lanson Cox, Shane Jansen, and Logan Rhodes.