Tuesday, August 09, 2011 7:00:00 AM
I'm embarrassed to admit that before I came to work for MSGA, I couldn't tell you the first thing about the 4-H Club. But after about half a year surrounded by agriculture, I can proudly that I know what 4-H is and think it's a really great program for youth.
Last week, I went to my first 4-H Fair at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena, Montana. My friend from New York came with me.
When we first arrived, we couldn't stop saying "awwww, look!" at all of the sheep, rabbits, and goats. But for us, the true excitement was seeing the judging of the steers. Collin Gibbs, 2011 Young Cattlemen's College participant, was the cattle judge for this event.
Collin thoroughly examined the steers while my friend and I tried to figure out what he was looking for in their build. We really had no idea...although, we did note that some looked cuter than others.
Six classes of steers went through the show ring and each time, Collin explained his thought process of judging them...teaching the kids and the audience about desirable traits.
After reexamining the top steers, he selected the winner.
I came away from the fair with not only a new list of cattle-based vocabulary words, but a greater understanding of how everything in the production of quality beef starts at the cow/calf level. There are some traits in cattle that are better than others...and these are better because they deliver a greater end product to the consumer. Ranchers have worked for decades to select traits in cattle that will yield better animals.
And here is the next generation continuing this on...
4-H teaches youth a lot of great information about agriculture and we should thank these kids for working so hard to bring great steers to the market.