4-H Beef Series Discovering Beef 1: Here s The Beef

Transcription

1 4-H Beef Series Discovering Beef 1: Here s The Beef Introduction Over 8000 years ago cattle were domesticated to be used for meat, milk, and labour. Horses replaced cows as the main animal used for labour about 2000 years later. Today, cows are still used for meat and milk. This project focuses on raising cattle for meat. With this guide you will learn how to select and care for a 4-H beef animal. Record keeping, health, nutrition, judging, and training your calf will also be explored. Pull your boots on and get ready for another exciting 4-H year. More Cowbell! This More Cowbell box will appear throughout the manual. Check out the great website link ideas wherever you see More Cowbell. These links will lead you to fun online content to help you with your 4-H project. Meet Bobby! Bobby is ready to discover 4-H beef along with you! Bobby will share neat and important information throughout your manual. Learning is 3D! Table of Contents Introduction 1 Project Summary 2 Skill Builder 1: Responsible Handling Skill Builder 2: Selection Skill Builder 3: Nutrition Skill Builder 4: Training Skill Builder 5: Health Skill Builder 6: Judging Showcase Challenge Portfolio Page 27 - Draft To help you get the most out of your learning, each project meeting has the following parts: Dream it! Plan for success Do it! Hands on learning Dig it! What did you learn? Dig It Do It Dream It

2 What Skills Will You Learn? Each section or Skill Builder (or Builder) in this project has activities that will help your project group learn to do by doing while learning new skills and having fun! To complete this project, you must: Complete the activities in each Builder OR a similar activity that focuses on the same skills, as you and your leader may plan other activities. Plan and complete the Showcase Challenge. Complete the Portfolio Page. Participate in your club s Achievement (See the inside back cover for more information about 4-H Achievements). Members will be able to... Activities Page Skill Builder 1 Responsible Handling Know how to treat animals humanely Explain how to handle animals Illustrate the flight zone of cattle Fight or Flight Basic Instinct Code of Conduct Skill Builder 2 Selection Pick a 4-H calf and CCIA tag it Know how to calculate Average Daily Gain Understand the importance of records What s Important? ADG Spree Breaking Records My 4-H Calf/Calves Skill Builder 3 Nutrition Understand what cattle need to digest feed Know where nutrients are found Calculate rations Feed Tub Smashin Rations Nutrient Hunt Skill Builder 4 Training Halter break a calf Teach a calf to lead Understand showmanship procedures HALT! Walk on Show time Skill Builder 5 Health Explain how cattle herds may get sick Use proper vaccination methods Understand the importance of records Immunity Challenge SubQ vs. IM Healthy Records Skill Builder 6 Judging Compare and contrast steers Compare and contrast heifers Correctly fill out a judging card Steer in the Right Direction Heifers Carded When you successfully complete your builders, you will showcase what you have learned. Showcase & Portfolio Explain success in using the skills listed above Showcase Challenge My Portfolio Page 25 27

3 Skill Builder 1: Responsible Handling Bobby Says. Cattle have different behavior patterns than humans. In this builder you will learn how to safely work with cattle. Dream it! SKILLS CHECKLIST Know how to treat animals humanely Explain how to handle animals Illustrate the flight zone of cattle Important words Watch for these important words throughout this builder: Flight Zone, Instincts, Responsible 20% of all hospitalized farm injuries are from animal related trauma. What kind of situations will cause cattle to harm humans? Are these preventable? If so, how? Situation Is this preventable? How? Do it! Fight or Flight Cattle have a personal space bubble around them called the Flight Zone. The calmer the animal, the smaller the flight zone. Once you enter the flight zone, the cow might decide to take off and find a new spot where their flight zone is empty. Flight zones can also be helpful when trying to move cattle. By placing continuous slight pressure on the edge of the flight zone, you can peacefully direct the animals where you need them to go. Flight zones can vary from nothing (completely quiet animals) to 25 metres or more. Genetics, illness, past history of handling, and excitement can all increase an animal's flight zone. Label each line in the circle as either: A: point of balance B: position to start movement C: position to stop movement D: blind spot Hint: There should be two of each letter. B 3 C

4 Basic Instinct Cattle have several instincts that affect their behaviour. In order to understand how cattle act, we need to remember these instincts while working with them. Five main instincts are herding, habitual patterns, the flight zone, territorial, and maternal. Complete the chart with the five instincts listed above. Instinct Reason Challenge Cow s Reaction Safe Handling Safety from predators Singling out an animal Anxious, lonely depressed Limit alone time Keep herd nearby Safe personal space Movement towards something Feel comfortable Bulls dominate Moving animals to a different place Move away from you Protects territory (bulls) Don t enter too deeply Leave animals alone at feeding time Comfortable routine Changing routine Frighten or agitated Maintain routine Code of Conduct Cows protect young Separating a calf from a cow The following describes general responsibilities of in the proper care and handling of their animal(s). To provide food, water and care necessary to protect the health and welfare of my animal(s). To provide a safe and healthy environment for my animals that is clean, well ventilated, and provides ample space. To provide a well-planned disease prevention program to protect the health of my herd. To use humane and sanitary methods when it becomes necessary to dispose of my animal(s). To insure proper handling techniques are used to eliminate any undue stress or injury when manual manipulation is necessary. To provide transportation for my animal(s) that avoids undue stress or injury caused by overcrowding, excessive time in transit, or improper handling when loading or unloading. The willful mistreatment of my animal(s) or the mistreatment of any animal will not be tolerated. In cases of mistreatment, I will notify the proper authorities. To make management decisions based on scientific fact and to consider the welfare of my animal(s). I have read, understand and commit to the above statements. 4-H Member 4-H Leader Parent/Guardian Adapted from: Ohio Farm Animal Care Commission, Box 479, Two Nationwide Plaza Columbus, OH Aggressive kicking or charging Do not go between a mother and calf Adapted from: Ohio Farm Animal Care Commission Bobby Says. Over 95% of agricultural injuries and fatalities are predictable and preventable.

5 More Cowbell! For more information on handling cattle: Sheep behave like cattle. To practice herding go to: Dig it! Many people are hurt by cattle in preventable accidents. What are some steps that you will now take to prevent yourself from getting hurt? If a friend from the city came to your farm and didn t know anything about the behaviour of cattle, what would you tell them to keep them safe? Bobby s Fun Facts! Dairy bulls tend to be more aggressive than beef bulls because they are taken from their mothers and raised in isolation. By allowing bulls to be raised by their mothers, they learn natural herd behaviour patterns. Practice working with cattle by using the following methods of movement from Dr. Temple Grandin s website: What s next? Now that you know how to treat cattle, it is time to figure out how to choose a 4-H calf. The next Builder looks at selection of market animals and heifers. Average daily gain and record keeping are also explored. 5

6 Skill Builder 2: Selection Bobby Says... Animal selection is really judging. Do you remember what to look for in a steer or heifer? Dream it! SKILLS CHECKLIST Pick a 4-H calf and CCIA tag it Know how to calculate Average Daily Gain Understand the importance of records Important words Watch for these important words throughout this builder: Average Daily Gain, Target Weight, Mature Weight, Age Verification Draw or paste in a picture of your ideal 4-H calf and label 5 things that make it perfect. Does sex, breed, or colour matter? If so, indicate what your calf is in each of the three categories. Do it! What s Important - Market Animal? Have your parents or leaders help you find a group of three calves to pick your 4-H animal from and put them all in one pen. Rank the animals in the following areas to help you make your decision. Trait # 1 # 2 # 3 Confirmation: Loin/Rump Growth Capacity Balance Health Temperament I choose for my 4-H Market Animal. 6

7 What s Important? Heifers The purpose of heifers is to breed and have a calf every year for as long as possible. Look at three heifers and rank them according to the following traits. Trait # 1 # 2 # 3 Soundness Volume Balance Femininity/ Udder Health Temperament I choose for my 4-H heifer. ADG Spree ADG stands for Average Daily Gain and is the amount of weight that your animal must put on per day in order to reach a target weight you have selected for achievement. ADG helps you figure out how much you need to feed your 4-H animal every day. Complete the following calculations in the Imperial system (pounds or lbs). Heifer Market Animal A) Target Weight (Show Day) B) Starting Weight (Weigh Day) C) Total Gain (A B) D) Days on Feed E) ADG (C/D) A) Target Weight (Breeding Date) B) Starting Weight (Weigh Day) C) Total Gain (A B) D) Mature Weight E) Breeding Weight (D * 0.65) F) Days on Feed G) ADG (C/F) Bobby Says. Ask your leader what a mature weight for your heifer would be. Different breeds are different sizes. Here are some breed averages: Limousin 1450 lbs Gelbvieh 1300 lbs Hereford 1400 lbs Salers 1250 lbs Angus 1250 lbs Blondes Aquitaine 1300 lbs Charolais 1450 lbs Simmental 1400 lbs Maine Anjou 1600 lbs Shorthorn 1400 lbs 7

8 Breaking Records Record keeping is an important part of looking after and keeping track of cattle. Fill in the chart below. My 4-H Animals for the Year Project Animal Market Animal Heifer Continuation Heifer From Farming History The first purebred herd registry was in Britain in 1822 for the Shorthorn Breed. Tag Birth Date Breed Breed of Sire Breed of Dam Tattoos/Brand Birth Weight Project Start Weight Project Finish Weight Comments: Breeding Date Type of Breeding Sire Preg. Check Date Birth Date Calf Birth Weight Sex Tag/Tattoos/Brand Bobby s Fun Facts The average lifespan of a beef cow is 7 years. The oldest cow ever recorded was Big Bertha. She reached 48 in Big Bertha also holds the record for producing 39 calves. Dig It The next three pages are for you to include pictures of your animals. Make sure to include the animals CCIA tag numbers. Since September 1st, 2006, all cattle need a Canadian Cattle Identification Agency Radio Frequency Identification Tag in order to be sold. Once your achievement is over, you may add in your results on these pages too. 8

9 More Cowbell To learn more about the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency, visit their website at or phone them toll free at 1(877) My 4-H Calf/Calves In this picture: I want you to notice: My Beef Animal CCIA Number: Achievement Results: Selling Price: 9

10 To make sure the CCIA tag stays in place: Step 1: Ensure the back of the tag matches the front. Step 2: Use the correct tag applicator for the brand of tag you are using. Step 3: Read the tag manufacturers directions and apply in the ear as seen in the picture at left. In this picture: I want you to notice: Achievement Results: My Heifer: CCIA Number: 10

11 Age Verification Age verification is the process of associating a birth date with an individual animal using and identification tag. Only animals born on your farm can be age verified. The main reason for age verification is to access markets in Canada and internationally. To prove your animals have been age verified, certificates can be printed. In this picture: I want you to notice: Achievement Results: My Cow & Calf Pair CCIA Numbers: What s next? Skill Builder 3 examines what and how much to feed your calf. You will create a ration to record what you have been feeding your animal. A ration is like a menu. 11

12 Skill Builder 3: Nutrition Bobby Says. Beef is served more often in restaurants than chicken and pork combined. What we feed our calves, can make a big difference in how the meat grades and tastes. Dream it! SKILLS CHECKLIST Understand what cattle need to digest feed Know where nutrients are found Calculate rations Important Words Watch out for these important words in this builder: Microbes, Forage, Ration Cows need to digest nutrients. Can you name some foods that can provide your 4-H animal with it s essential nutrients? Work with a friend and search on the internet to help. Nutrient Water Energy Protein Vitamins Minerals Foods that Contain that Nutrient Do it! Feed Tub Fill in the blanks with the words from the box. should always be available. A ration is used to accustom animals to the feed to prevent digestive problems. A ration is used to grow out the animal so the calf does not fatten at a light weight. rations are usually 80% grain and 20% roughage to get the calf ready for slaughter. Dark cutters are animals with that is darker than normal and has a shorter shelf-life. or concentrates are important for market animals to gain muscle mass. Excess on a carcass devalues the carcass, so overfeeding the animal is an expensive mistake. Fat Finishing Grain Growing Muscle Starting Water 12

13 Smashin Rations When you multiply your calf s weight by 0.03, you will know how much to feed your calf per day. If you add the numbers from Grain and Forage in each time period they should equal the amount of food you need to give your calf. To approximate the next time period s start weight multiply the ADG from last builder by the number of days in the last time period and add it to the last start weight. Ask a parent or leader for help if you need it. Multiply the number of days in each time period by the amount of grain per day and place in row A. Find out the price/unit and place in row B. Multiply A x B and put this in the row C. Add up all the numbers in the row C. This is your total cost. The first two lines are an example. Time Period Start Weight Weight x 0.03 Grain Forage Mineral/Salt Dec.2-Jan.5: 35 Days 750 lbs Trace Jan.5-Feb.9: 34 Days 840 lbs Trace It costs me $ to feed my 4-H calf. A) Total Feed B) Price C) A x B = Cost If you have another 4-H animal you can fill this chart out for them. Time Period Start Weight Weight x 0.03 Grain Forage Mineral/Salt It costs me $ to feed my A) Total Feed B) Price C) A x B = Cost 13

14 Nutrient Hunt Across 1. What a cow chews for eight hours a day 3. Unprocessed feed like grass and hay 6. This + Forage = 3% of your calf's body weight 8. Bacteria and protozoa that break down food in a cow's stomach 11. Keeps your animal healthy and helps it grow 13. The average amount of weight your animal needs to gain every day 14. A fixed portion of food 15. Keeps an animal warm Down 2. The process of breaking down feed 4. An animal with four stomachs 5. Can come from a well, a sand point, a dug out, or be hauled in 7. One of the main building blocks of the body 9. Calcium, salt, phosphorous, and potassium are important ones 10. A and E are examples that should be regularly supplemented 12. The number of stomachs a cow has Dig it! Bobby s Fun Facts! Cows eat for 6 hours a day and chew their cud for another 8 hours. Your 4-H calf will eat about 3% of it s weight in feed every day. The rumen (one of the four stomachs) can hold over 50 gallons. Do you think your 4-H calf will gain weight like you hope? If not, what might prevent this? What s next? Training a calf takes a lot of time so we ll start early by beginning the process in the next builder. Halter breaking, leading, grooming, and showmanship are topics that we will explore. 14

15 Skill Builder 4: Training Bobby Says. The earlier you begin working with your calf, the calmer it will be for the show. You will also be more confident in your calf and be calmer too! Dream it! SKILLS CHECKLIST Halter break a calf Teach a calf to lead Understand showmanship procedures Important Words Watch out for these important words in this builder: Quick Release Knot, Blower, Fogger, Clipper Training a calf for show takes a lot of time and effort. Fill in the dates by when you would like to have each of the goals accomplished. My achievement date is Date Goal Halter Broke Willing to Lead Used to Grooming Procedures Used to Show Cane Used to Neck Tie Used to Leather Halter Used to drinking out of a water pail and eating out of a feed tub Do it! HALT! To halter break an animal, you should use a good rope halter that is not frayed. The first few times, it will be easiest to put the calf in the chute to put the halter on. Comb and talk to your animal so that it can relax and come to enjoy having the halter on. Make sure to use a quick release knot to tie the halter to a sturdy post. See your Exploring Beef book or ask someone for help if you forget how. Never leave your calf unattended while halter breaking. Draw a halter on the calf s head in the right position. More Cowbell! Want more help with tying a quick release knot? Follow these links for more information: and 15

16 Walk On When you begin leading your calf, lead it to places it might want to go, like food or water. Walk at a normal walking pace and don t let the calf always lead you. When the calf is walking well you can introduce the show stick. Hold the show cane vertical while walking unless you need it to be horizontal to hold back your calf. The show stick has a variety of uses in the show ring. See if you can unscramble them. TSE PU EFET LULP UP LEVAN CHATCRS TREBISK TRACCHS YELLB LUPL LAIT WOND LOWS FALC NOWD Show Time There are lots of rules for showing cattle so the more you practice, the better you will do. Enter the ring going to your left (clockwise) and keep about one animal s length between you and the calf in front of you. This will help you keep an eye on the judge and ring person for any directions they give you. If the calf in front of you stops, give it a tap or twist it s tail to get it moving. The ring person will come over to help if it still won t move. Do not pass an animal unless the judge or ring person tells you to. Make sure to set your animal up correctly with it s feet squarely underneath and head alert. When showing a heifer, the udder should be shown off by having the back leg on the judge s side to be back a little bit. When switching positions there are correct procedures to follow. Talk with your leader about them and draw on the diagrams below. Note: The numbers are at the animal s head Move from 4th to 2nd Your calf is restless and gets out of place, reset your calf in 3rd. 4th and 5th switch positions

17 Dig it! As you actually achieve each of these goals, write in the date. Date Achieved Halter Broke (Does not fight with halter) Willing to Lead (Does not fight or spin in circles) Used to Grooming Procedures (combing, blowing, fogging) Used to Show Cane (Does not kick at it or jump away) Used to Neck Tie Used to Leather Halter Used to drinking out of a water pail and eating out of a feed tub Were your predicted dates from the Dream It! Section reasonable goals? If you didn t get the goals accomplished as predicted, why not? Will you make any changes for next year? From Farming History Cattle were extremely valuable to the pioneers in Canada. They were used for meat, milk, butter, and cheese. Their hides were used for leather. In 1677, there were about 3000 cattle in New France. Twenty years later, there were Think about this builder and the activities you did Review the skills checklist on page 15. What skills have you developed? Do you need more practice? Bobby s Fun Facts! One cowhide can produce enough leather to make 20 footballs or 18 soccer balls or 18 volleyballs or 12 basketballs. What s next? Good health is very important to ensure your calves can do what they are supposed to do (produce meat or breed). Vaccinations, disease, and health records will all be discovered in Skill Builder 5. 17

18 Skill Builder 5: Health Bobby Says. Cattle can get sick with illnesses just like humans. Some of these are pink eye, pneumonia, ring worm, foot rot, and coccidiosis. Most illnesses are prevented by vaccines and proper management, but others need to be treated as they occur with medicines. Keep an eye on your herd for illness. SKILLS CHECKLIST Explain how cattle herds may get sick Use proper vaccination methods Understand the importance of records Fun Facts! Important Words Watch out for these important words in this builder: Quarantine, Vaccinate, Immunity, Subcutaneous, Intramuscular When in a pasture, cattle should be rotated as to reduce overgrazing. Prevent animals from standing in the water to keep the water clean and healthy. Dream it! Fill in the chart below with what you already Know and Want to Know about keeping cattle healthy. In the Dig It! Section, you will fill in the Learned column. Know Want to Know Learned Bobby s Fun Facts! Cattle are considered to have a fever when their temperature is above 39.1 C. You are considered to have a fever when your temperature is above 38.3 C Over 100 medicines used by humans come from cows. 18

19 Do it! Immunity Challenge The best way to keep your animals healthy is to prevent them having contact with diseases. Decide whether these statements are True, Sometimes True, or False. 1. New cattle should be vaccinated when they arrive on your farm. T ST F 2. New cattle should be quarantined for a month when they arrive. T ST F 3. Cattle cannot catch disease while at 4-H shows. T ST F 4. You should change your chore clothes and shoes before and after visiting another farm. T ST F 5. Rodents are the only animals that carry diseases to cattle. T ST F 6. If an animal is sick you should: A. put it down T ST F B. leave it with at least one other cow T ST F C. give it food, water, bedding, and shelter T ST F D. call the vet T ST F E. monitor it closely T ST F SubQ vs. IM What you will need: A needle, syringe, orange, rubber gloves Vaccinations expose people and animals to a harmless form of the disease so that the body can build immunity to it and prevent the disease. All injections go in the neck. Make sure to sterilize your supplies before and after vaccinating. When giving a vaccination, you should read the label carefully and check: How to give the vaccine (subcutaneous or intramuscular) The expiration date Intramuscular How to store it (most need to be kept in the refrigerator) Subcutaneous Means under the skin Pull back skin (tent) and stick needle under skin Practice with rubber glove on orange Needle goes through rubber but not into orange. Means in the muscle Put straight into the neck Practice with an orange by putting the needle right into orange. I am best at giving needles. 19

20 Healthy Records Every time you give your animal some medicine, you should record it to make sure that you don t give your calf too much or too little. It s also good to keep track in case your animal gets sick so you know what it can and can t be. An example is given in the first line. Date Steer, Heifer, Cow/Calf Procedure or Disease Prevented Medication, Treatment, Vaccination Dosage Route Site Withdrawal Time Cost Oct. 9 Steer Heifer Blackleg Vaccination 5 cc SubQ Neck 60 days $0.50 Dig it! Think about your Learning... Review the Skills Checklist on page 18. What skills have you developed? Do you need more practice? Go back to the Dream It! Section and fill out the Learned column with what you have learned while doing this builder. Did you get all your questions answered from the Want to Know part? If not, ask your leader or research it until you find all the solutions. What s next? Judging is part of most shows and the last builder will help you practice judging heifers and steers. 20

21 Skill Builder 6: Judging Bobby Says. Judging beef is looking at live animals to compare and rank them. Feedlot owners judge animals to decide which ones are ready to sell. Order buyers judge animals to decide which ones to buy. It takes practice to know which animal will produce the best carcass. A judge must undress the steer with their mind to see the meat below. SKILLS CHECKLIST Compare and contrast steers Compare and contrast heifers Correctly fill out a judging card Dream it! Important Words Look out for these important words in this builder: Carcass, Comparative Form Create a mind map or web with whatever words come to mind about judging. Feel free to use pictures too. Include at least 10 bubbles. The web has already been started for you. Heifers Steers Judging In order to judge 4-H animals, we need to know the parts of their body. Fill in the missing parts with the words below. Back Pastern Bridge of Point of Nose Shoulder Dewclaw Poll Dewlap Rump Forehead Sheath Hock Stifle Hoof Switch Jaw Tail Loin Muzzle Neck Throat Top of Shoulder Hooks (Hip Bone) Heart Girth Pins (Pin Bone) Round (Quarter) Ribs Rear Flank Fore flank 21

22 Steer in the Right Direction An animal is finished when it has a good amount of fat covering throughout it s body. If an animal is under-finished, it needs more time and feed. An over-finished animal has too much fat and this can lower it s grade. To see if an animal is finished, we check the brisket, flank, twist, rump, and forearm for fat and muscle. Brisket: If the brisket is deep and full, it is full of waste fat. Too much fat in the brisket usually means there will be waste fat in other parts of the carcass. Forearm: The forearm is all muscle and bone. If the forearm is bulging and muscular, it is a sign that the animal has well developed muscles all over its body Flank: The flank contains no muscle, meat or bone. If the flank looks very full, it is full of waste fat Rump: A thick, round, full rump usually means the carcass will have lots of meat. A flat or square rump is an indicator of excess fat Twist: An overly full looking twist is an indicator of waste fat Next, use your hand to feel the animals rib area. There should feel like about 1 cm of fat over the ribs. Now feel the shoulder blade, there should only be a thin layer of fat over this bone. The Ideal Steer From the front: stands wide and shows trimness in the brisket and neck. From the rear: has a rounded top with the widest point through the stifle. The legs stand wide apart and the twist shows evidence of muscle development From the side: the brisket and neck are trim, the top line is long and straight, the flanks and middle are trim. The animal looks balanced. Now it s time for you to be the judge. Compare four different market animals for finish. Were any of them over-finished? Under-finished? When looking for finish, I placed this group of market animals. 22

23 Heifers In order for heifers to breed and have several calves, soundness is a key factor. Good feet and legs are required for mating and grazing in pasture. Volume, balance, muscling, udder development, and femininity are other aspects to consider when judging females. Label which set of legs are bow-legged, correct, and cow-hocked. Carded In the judging class, you will be asked to place 4 animals and give reasons for why you placed them the way you did. You will be asked to give two reasons for why you picked your first place animal over your second place animal, then why you chose your second place over your third, and your third over your fourth. Finally, you will be asked why you placed your last place animal last. The only time you are allowed to give a negative reason is when you are asked to write down why you placed your 4th place animal last. Pick four of anything (teddy bears, cake, tea cups, ) and fill out this practice judging form: Name: Class: Age: Club: 1st: 2nd: 3rd: 4th: I place over because: I place over because: I place over because: I place last because: Bobby Says To make sure you are using the comparative form when describing the body parts, use er words like longer, wider, deeper, stronger, straighter, smoother, thicker, stronger, trimmer, or meatier. Do not use better or "best." 23

24 Dig it! Use the comparative form of words (page 23) and different body parts (page 21) to create some phrases you might use while in a market animal judging class. Think about the important body parts. For instance, "I place 3 over 2 because 3 has a deeper loin than 2" is a good reason. Create some reasons for judging heifers. More Cowbell! To do some cyber judging, check out: Thinking about this builder and the activities you did Review the skills checklist on page 21. What skills have you developed? Do you need more practice? What skills did you use to make this project a success? Record it... Discuss what you have learned with your leader so that the information can be recorded on your portfolio page. Apply it... How would you explain to others the steps you need to take to have a successful project? What s next? Now that you have finished all the builders in this project, it is time to think about and plan for the Showcase Challenge on page 25, which will help prepare for your 4-H Achievement. Page 27 is your Portfolio Page, where you can make sure your Discovering Beef Project Skills Chart is complete. There will also be space for you to write down some thoughts and reflections on the project (what you liked, didn t like, etc.). 24

25 Showcase Challenge Bringing it all together! Now that you have finished this project, it is time to think about how you will share your experiences and knowledge with others. You may put your new skills to work by helping at a community event or at your club Achievement or teaching others about your topic. The goal of the Showcase Challenge is to help highlight your new skills and help you understand how you can use them. It can be an opportunity to receive feedback from others on your project. So go back through your manual and find some highlights of your learning (what you are proud of) and think about how you will showcase it. Dream It! Demonstrate something you made or learned about Make a scrapbook Act out a play Make a video or slideshow Give a speech Write a report Here are some Showcase Challenge Suggestions: Use your new skills to help with the Club Achievement plans Or come up with your own idea. It is up to you and your leader! My Showcase Challenge Plan My showcase idea: What materials and resources do I need? Who do I need to help me? When do I need to have things done by? 25

26 Do It! Insert or attach your finished product or a photo of you sharing your skills in your Showcase Challenge. Dig It! Now that you have showcased your project skills; How did your Showcase Challenge go? What would you do differently next time? How will you use your new skills in the future? (in different situations?) 26

27 My 4-H Portfolio Page Name: Date: Year in 4-H: Club: Hours Spent on 4-H: (Project and Other 4-H Activities) Discovering Beef 1: Here s The Beef Project Skills Chart To be completed by the leader and the member based on observations and conversations throughout the project. Skill Builder Showcase Challenge Members will be able to Each Skill Builder had a Skills Checklist which identified the skill you will learn. Know how to treat animals humanely Explain how to handle animals Illustrate the flight zone of cattle Pick a 4-H calf and CCIA tag it Know how to calculate Average Daily Gain Understand the importance of records Understand what cattle need to digest feed Know where nutrients are found Calculate rations Halter break a calf Teach a calf to lead Understand showmanship procedures Explain how cattle herds may get sick Use proper vaccination methods Understand the importance of records Compare and contrast steers Compare and contrast heifers Correctly fill out a judging card Explain success in using the skills listed above. Additional Comments/Activities: We know this because Identify activities completed and record observations and information from discussions about activities. Leader Point of Praise! I am most impressed by I acknowledge that the member has completed the 4-H project requirements. Leader s Signature: 27

28 Above and Beyond! In addition to project skills, 4-H also increases skills in meeting management, communications, leadership, community involvement through participation in club, area, or provincial 4-H events or activities. List below any activities you participated in this year in 4-H. (Some examples include Executive Positions Held, Workshops, Communication, Community Service, Rally, Bonspiels, Conferences, Judging, Camps, Trips, Awards, Representation to Area or Provincial Councils, etc) **Feel Free to add additional pages that include awards, certificates, new clippings, photos or other items that describe your 4-H involvement. What I learned Member Point of Pride! What I need to improve on What I want others to notice Member s Signature: Point of Praise! Another s perspective on your achievements in 4-H. (community professionals, MAFRI staff, 4-H club head leaders, 4-H Ambassadors, friends of 4-H) I am most impressed by I believe that you have learned In the future I encourage you to Signature: 28

29 4-H Achievement 4-H Achievement is a 4-H club celebration when members have completed their projects. Achievements are planned by the club to give recognition to members and leaders for their accomplishments in their 4-H projects and club activities. A 4-H Achievement can take many different formats: from choosing a theme, to member project displays, to members using their new skills for the event (entertainment, food, decorating, photographer, etc.), to members presenting their project to the whole group, the options are endless and open to the creativity of the members and leaders in each club! Clubs may also plan their Achievement to promote 4-H to the community or to recognize sponsors and others who have helped the club. Members and leaders - be sure to check your project books for the project completion requirements, so you will be ready for your club s Achievement celebration! If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for this or other 4-H projects contact: Manitoba 4-H Projects Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives 1129 Queens Avenue Brandon, MB R7A 1L9 4h@gov.mb.ca Phone: Fax: This manual is for educational use only and is not intended as professional advice. For more information about 4-H and the many 4-H opportunities available please visit

30 What is 4-H? 4-H is an international youth organization involving more than 7 million members in 80 countries around the world. In Canada, 4-H began in 1913 in Roland, Manitoba as a communitybased organization dedicated to growth and development of rural youth. Today s 4-H program reaches both farm and non-farm youth across Canada. The motto of Learn to Do by Doing is embodied in the program, as 4-H focuses on skill development as well as personal development of life skills such as communications, leadership and citizenship. 4-H Motto Learn To Do by Doing 4-H Pledge I pledge, My HEAD to clearer thinking, My HEART to greater loyalty, My HANDS to greater service, My HEALTH to better living, For my club, my community, and my country. 4-H Quality Equation Principles Quality People Promote responsibility, respect, trust, honesty, fairness, sportsmanship, citizenship, teamwork and caring. Quality Experiences Provide members with personal development and skill development experiences. Quality Projects Promote and value quality effort. Promote high quality, safe food production within industry standards. Manitoba 4-H project material is developed by Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI)