4-Her's Participate in Livestock Judging and Grading Clinic

Lanson Cox, Lauren Crutsinger, Morgan Crutsinger, Levi Jansen, and Shane Jansen of the Delta 4-H Club at the 2015 University of Missouri (MU) Livestock Judging and Grading Clinic in Columbia, MO. The event was held March 7th 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 Angus 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.

After the Grading Clinic these 4-Hers toured the MU Foremost Dairy Farm. Here students saw a dairy research facility including feeding dairy cows, feed mixing facilities, calf rearing pens, milk cooling and storage, a dairy milking parlor, and the highlight was a fistulated cow. This is a cow with a window or opening into her rumen. These animals are used for research dealing with cattle rumen microbes and feed digestion.

A fun day was had by all who attended. 4-Hers left with new knowledge about grading livestock and more information about how food gets from the farm to the plate. Over 500 Missouri 4 Hers and FFA students attended the annual event sponsored by the University of Missouri. Matt, Cindy, and Dillon Jansen, and Larry and Angie Crutsinger served as chaperones.

These 4-Hers attended this workshop to improve their livestock judging and grading skills. The students will all participate in the upcoming 4-H/ FFA Livestock Judging Contest to be held at Flickerwood Arena March 26th. The students will put into practice knowledge they gained at the MU clinic. Students who place well at the contest will have the opportunity to participate in the State livestock judging contest in Columbia in September 2015.