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4-H Youth Development Home »  4-H Projects

BeefBeef


Description

Beef is a statewide 4-H project. It features curriculum that will guide you through the project. For a copy contact your County 4-H Office or order online at: Extension Publications.

Beef 1
This beginning project is aimed at grades 3-5. It’s not necessary that you own an animal. Identify breeds and body parts, judge beef cattle, halter-break a calf, fit a steer, show a calf, recognize a healthy animal, select feed ingredients, shop for beef and beef byproducts, and more.
BU8143, Bite into Beef
4H450, Judging Breeding & Market Cattle
MA, Meat Animal Project Record

Beef 2
In this intermediate project aimed at grades 6-8, present oral reasons during judging and learn about feed ingredients, behavior, nose printing, parasites, fitting, ethical issues, beef carcass composition, retail meat cuts, and more.
BU8144, Here’s the Beef
MA, Meat Animal Project Record

Beef 3
In this advanced project aimed at grades 9-12, explore selection and judging, feeds, careers, health, reproduction, meats and marketing, and more.
BU8145, Leading the Charge
MA, Meat Animal Project Record

Beef Leader
BU8146, Beef Group Activity Guide
492XX, Beef Resource Handbook
4H500, I'm a 4-H Project Leader. Now What Do I Do?


Events

Want to learn more about Beef? Try the links below.

Badger Livestock Judging Camp
Camp for youth who have completed grades 3-13 who are interested in building knowledge on the evaluation principles associated with market and breeding beef, swine and sheep, as well as ultrasound technology.

Beef Project Training
Many counties hold local training for members and leaders in their favorite project areas, including beef. Watch your county 4-H Family newsletter or contact your county Extension office for details.

Meat Animal Quality Assurance (MAQA) Training
Train-the-trainer sessions for anyone interested in teaching or facilitating the MAQA program to help youth livestock exhibitors in beef, sheep and swine learn how to produce a safe and wholesome product. Youth can attend if they would like to help teach the program.

Wisconsin 4-H and Youth Conference
If you’re in grades 8-10, check out the next Wisconsin 4-H and Youth Conference, scheduled each June at the UW-Madison campus. The conference offers educational seminars in most areas of 4-H. Contact your county Extension office for details.

Wisconsin 4-H Area Animal Science Days
Series of four day-long events held around the state where youth in the beef, dairy, horse, sheep and swine projects increase their decision making skills and knowledge of animals through judging and grading experiences. Events include evaluation of dairy cattle, horses and meat animals; dairy showmanship contests; hippology (the study of horses); and oral reasons workshops. In addition, each site offers a variety of workshops for small animal projects, which may include rabbits, poultry, dogs, cats or llamas.

Wisconsin 4-H Meat Judging Contest
Competition held at the Meat Science Laboratory on the UW-Madison campus.

Wisconsin Livestock Quiz and Skillathon Contests
Program for any 4-H or FFA Junior or Senior livestock team in the state. Team must have 3-4 members. Senior team members must be ages 14-19. Junior team members must be 8-13. The top 4-H Senior team represents Wisconsin at the National 4-H Skillathon Contest held each fall in Louisville.

Wisconsin Livestock Quiz Bowl
Quiz competition where all the questions are about beef, sheep and swine topics. Teams are divided into junior division (age 14 and under), senior division is (age 14 years and older) and mixed team (at least one youth from each age division). Counties or chapters are limited to 2 teams per division. Youth use a buzzer to answer the questions. Teams compete in a double elimination format by giving oral answers to questions posed by a judge.

Wisconsin State Fair
Annual 11-day event held in August at State Fair Park, West Allis, WI. Site gives locations and dates for pre-registration animal weigh-ins. All exhibitors wishing to show livestock animals during the fair are required to attend one of the regionally located weigh-in sites. 2008 Beef Check-In Sites

World Beef Expo
Four-day annual event in September at State Fair Park in West Allis, WI. F eatures 16 different breeds of beef cattle. Youth are invited to participate in beef judging contest during the expo.

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County Fair

The county fair . . . what a great time it is! Every summer, families flock to county fairs to see the latest 4-H project exhibits. Exhibiting is a fun and educational way for youth to showcase their project work to judges and to the public. Judging materials are supported by Bill Shaw in memory of his wife, Shirley.

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Related Links

There’s so much more to learn in the 4-H Beef Project. Just follow these links!

Meat Animal Quality Assurance (MAQA)
Information on MAQA topics from the Wisconsin 4-H youth livestock specialist. MAQA teaches quality-assurance principles and management skills to youth enrolled in the swine, sheep and beef meat animal projects.

National 4-H Curriculum
Visit this site for updated National 4-H Curriculum information including new titles. Purchase curricula by accessing the online order form.

National Animal Identification System
Information on how this important new livestock animal identification system is being implemented in Wisconsin.

PDF file Implementation of the National Animal Identification System in Wisconsin (48 pages, 2 MB) by Bernie O'Rourke, UWEX Youth Livestock Specialist

MS Powerpoint Presentation Implementation of the National Animal Identification System in Wisconsin (48 slides, 30 MB) created by Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium, adapted by Bernie O'Rourke, UWEX Youth Livestock Specialist

PDF file Blank Premise Registration Form (2 pages, 112 KB)

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
Marketing organization and trade association for America’s 1 million cattle farmers and ranchers.

Oconto County 4-H Project Resources
This web site provides links for many animal science projects including links for fun project ideas on beef.

Saddle and Sirloin Club: Beef
UW-Madison student club that organizes and administers the Little International Horse Show, Badger Kick-off Classic Steer and Heifer Show, and the Badger Bonanza Lamb Show.

UW-Extension Animal Sciences: Beef
UW-Extension Animal Sciences Beef site with additional links to many beef education and resource centers, organizations, and libraries.

UW-Extension Animal Sciences: Youth
UW-Extension Animal Sciences Youth Extension site with additional links to the State Specialist, the calendar, MAQA information, State Fair results, and more.

UW-Madison Steenbock Library Resource Guide: Beef
Guide to links for many beef-related sites.

Wisconsin Beef Council
Source of cooking and food safety tips, nutritional information, and recipes.

Wisconsin Livestock Breeders Association
Site with association events and information, including youth livestock shows.

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Project Support

For more information on the 4-H Beef Project, contact the following:

Cooperative Extension Media Collection
This lending library features several resources on beef, ethics, nutrition, and more.

UW-Extension County 4-H Offices
This is your link to a list of Wisconsin County Extension Offices. Select the county of your choice.

UW-Extension Beef Specialist: Jeff Lehmkuhler

UW-Extension Youth Livestock Specialist: Bernie O'Rourke

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