These Project Essentials sheets provide basic resources for new 4-H members and parents to get started in a beef, market goat, horse, market sheep or swine livestock project. The following information should be utilized by families to foster a youth’s ‘learning to learn’ skills. There are several key livestock boarding and feeding requirements discussed, in addition to cost estimates for each type of animal. You will also see an “additional resources” and “local resources” section. The additional resources are links to examples within a greater body of resource material – again this is not a complete resource, but a starting point. The local resources section is very important – getting involved in your local community will provide a 4H member with a rich body of knowledge and experience. 4-H Livestock Projects provide a great opportunity for young people to interact with peers and caring adults.
Livestock projects provide day-to-day experiences that enable youth to learn new skills and, most importantly, ‘learn how to learn.’ We expect 4-Hers to gain abilities and knowledge in:
- Marketable skills for many careers
- Planning, organization, goal setting, and record-keeping
- Wise use of resources
- Critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision making
- Learning to learn
- Stress management and personal safety
- Self-discipline, self-motivation, and self-responsibility
- Empathy and emotional regulation
Livestock projects provide challenges that enable youth to gain social skills, learn valuable life skills, and gain content expertise in career fields in a controlled context. These efforts allow young people to develop a sense of responsibility and maturity. Working through these difficult projects will have profound outcomes, not only as a 4-H member, but as thriving adults. We expect 4-H animal projects to foster:
- Academic motivation and success
- Social competence
- Personal standards
- Contribution to others
- Connection with others
- Personal responsibility.
Completing a 4-H Livestock Project is a proud accomplishment, and our goal in Extension is to help youth achieve success. Please feel free to share these documents, and contact county-level 4-H Staff with further questions and guidance.
Thank you to the following 4-H volunteers for input and helping produce a better resource for 4-H youth.