6 minute read
Resasons to support our youth
from Spring 2019
by TheBoerGoat
Reasons to Support Youth Who Raise Livestock
Some people claim that for centuries and a practice raising livestock through that is sure to continue. And FFA and 4-H hardens the the truth is, the livestock raised hearts of our industry’s by youth live the very best life young people. Yet, if you on earth, and our young peohave been involved in these ple learn endless life lessons organizations, you know along that journey. Young it does just the opposite. people take so much pride in Raising livestock awakens the caring for their animals, and soul and gives young people they make great stewards of a purpose. It gives them livestock for many reasons. a reason to wake up each day and be a caretaker and 1. Their care comes from teaches the proper way to their hearts, not from their care for animals to ultimately pockets. deliver a safe product to the While raising livestock marketplace. teaches young people to be
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Whether you agree or not with the concept of raising live- financially responsible and work hard for what they will stock for food, it has been a common practice in our culture eventually earn, the quality of care along the way stems directly from the heart. Kids make a commitment to their animals for months ahead of time and take on lots JOIN AGF of responsibility each day. The time they spend with their animals before or the fair is filled with washing them RENEW daily, brushing and working their hair or conditioning their skin, exercising, MEMBERSHIP showmanship practice and providing NOW superior nutrition both morning and night. When you spend that much time
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with an animal, a special bond quickly forms, and that bond propels young people to give the best life possible to their livestock. If our animals are going to be used for production agriculture, it makes sense to put them in the care of young people who spend time with them each day and build a relationship with them from the moment they bring them home and give them a name. 2. It’s more than just an endpoint, it’s an experience.
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Youth involved in raising livestock through programs like 4-H and FFA are
interested in more than just selling their animal at the county or state fair. Most young people involved in showing livestock are also involved in other activities within 4-H and FFA and are interested in becoming well-rounded adults and leaders. Showing livestock is just one project area they might participate in; however, they might also get involved in public speaking, livestock judging, photography, veterinary science and other life skill projects that will enhance their education and develop their leadership skills. Through showing livestock, they are choosing to get a first-hand look at responsibility and what it takes to care for another living thing. They grow to understand the importance and value of hard work and learn that nothing is attainable without setting goals and implementing efforts to
get there. They work to learn more about agriculture advocacy through developmental programs, which challenges them to seek out the best production practices to utilize when raising their stock. There is a lot more that goes into a livestock project than what goes in and out of the animal’s feed pan to get them to an endpoint. Kids not only make a commitment to an animal, but they make a commitment to themselves and typically to their club and community toward learning better life skills. 3. Young people who raise livestock today become the leaders of tomorrow.
Chances are a large percentage of the young people who raise and show livestock will land a career that impacts the agriculture industry. By choosing to raise livestock at a young age, youth learn the true value of livestock and through daily care, they develop a personal relationship with them. They grow an appreciation for the lessons livestock teach them, and these values, like responsibility, stewardship and work ethic, stay with them for the rest of their professional life. With the knowledge they learn about caring for animals and the memories they hold from their personal experiences; these young people go on to be industry leaders in the animal production industry.
They place emphasis on caring for each animal and work to research and implement the best care practices and the most relevant nutritional programs to give animals the best life possible.
Teaching youth about the purpose of livestock animals is not a cruel attempt to harden their hearts and squash their feelings, it is merely a reality of agriculture education. We ask extraordinary things of our animals each day – it takes extraordinary individuals to reciprocate the type of care our animals deserve. There is no question that the youth of our industry have the biggest
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hearts and helpful hands to deliver such care.
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of traditional radiation with fewer side effects. “We Karla Blackstock thought, ‘Let’s go to people who know children, who know brain cancer,’” says Katie’s dad. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Katie’s treatment at St. Jude included proton therapy and chemotherapy. National Show CharityKatie is an affectionate and bubbly girl who wants to be an historian. Abraham Lincoln is her hero, and she St. Jude patient Katie loves learning about the Civil Rights movement. To contribute to St. Jude's through the ABGA National Show, visit the following website and
make a donation. Our goal is to raise $10,000. Help us reach that goal by going to http://fundraising.stjude.org/abga2019_nationalshowbenefit
About St. Jude
• Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. • Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since it opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. • St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.
1-800-457-2444 stjude.org/yourway
©2018 ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (34874) GENFLYER19
The Boer Goat - 1
2019 National Show Checklist
Read the 2019 National Show Rules. All junior entries must provide SSN for entry form to be processed. The veterinary signed Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (Health Certificate) must be submitted for each entry at check in. Electronic copies will not be permitted. Pairs Classes will now be in the Open, JABGA, and B&O Shows. Group Classes will now have an entry fee. Group Classes will only be in the Open & JABGA Shows. You will need a medication form for EACH goat. Copy the form in the magazine or print from the ABGA website.
