Sheep and Meat Goats Senior Project Guide

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Overview

Georgia 4-H Project Achievement empowers young people with skills for a lifetime. Through a competitive process, students explore their interests, unleash their creativity, share their work, and celebrate their achievements! This guide provides 9th—12th graders with examples for getting started with their project exploration.

Overview of Project Achievement Process

1) Choose project
2) Develop skills in leadership and service
3) Prepare portfolio for work completed from January 1 – December 31
4) Prepare presentation
5) Practice
6) Compete
7) Reflect

Description of Sheep and Meat Goats Project

4-H’ers may explore the sheep and meat goat industry including establishing and managing sheep and meat goat enterprises, by-products, and end products. Through this project 4-H’ers may:

• Learn about and acquire skills for animal selection, breeding, feeding, care, production, management, ownership, exhibition, marketing, byproducts, and end-products of sheep and meat goats
• Discover the current and historic roles, scope, contributions of science, and economic significance of the sheep and meat goat industry
• Explore equipment and safety protocols of animal care and production
• Identify the degree of quality, the wholesale and retail cuts of lamb and lamb products, and understand their importance in human nutrition
• Demonstrate sound sheep breeding, feeding, and management practices on the home farm and in the community
• Study bio-security of the sheep and meat goat industry and food supply
• Identify types/grades of sheep and efficient marketing of sheep and goats
• Understand the role of veterinary care of sheep and meat goats
•  Explore career opportunities related to the sheep and meat goat industry

Examples of Project Development Experiences

• Attend shearing schools, animal specialty camps, purebred association field days, market days, livestock shows, etc.
• Tour supermarket meat departments, veterinary clinics, farms, feed stores, and/or animal barns
• Acquire and read books, trade magazines, pamphlets, and online media about the industry
• Raise and show a Market Lamb, Breeding Ewe, Market Goat, or Commercial Doe
• Participate in a 4-H Livestock Judging team or complete a Market Lamb Record Book
• Interview a sheep and meat goat producer and discuss industry matters
• Shadow a veterinarian, butcher, and/or producer for a day and learn of job responsibilities

Project Sharing and Helping Examples

• Volunteer as a teen leader and assist with coaching a livestock judging team
• Hold a shearing demonstration for community members, schools, civic groups, etc.
• Host a show preparation seminar for interested youth
• Mentor a younger 4-H’er in showing an animal
• Hold a feeding and management demonstration for Market Lamb, Breeding Ewe, Market Goat, or Commercial Doe
• Start a livestock project club and lead meetings to share your knowledge with others
• Arrange for industry speakers to discuss agricultural issues for community members
• Demonstrate your work through presentations and exhibits at schools, civic clubs, senior homes, chambers of commerce, etc.
• Write news articles, blogs, or social media posts about your project and your accomplishments
• Display sheep and meat goat product exhibits for the public
• Organize an agricultural tour or farm day for youth
• Mentor a younger 4-H’er in the Sheep and Meat Goats project

Special Considerations

• Actual animal exhibiting is not a requirement of this project.
• This project can address any issue related to the production of sheep or meat goats. Members may gain experience in a number of ways, such as assisting with the management of a herd, raising animals, or studying processing and marketing.
• Youth should practice internet safety. A best practice is to include a friend or parent in all communications and interactions.
• Be sure to gain landowner permission prior to entering someone else’s property.
• Exercise safety when handling tools, animals, and equipment.
• Live animals and weapons are not permitted in the presentation.

Recommended Resources

• Project Achievement – Georgia 4-H
• Animal Science Programs – Georgia 4-H
• Topic Areas | UGA Cooperative Extension
• Pets & Livestock | Georgia Department of Agriculture
• Georgia Department of Agriculture | Farmers, Food Safety & Licensing
• Animal Reports and Data | USDA
• Home – American Sheep Industry Association
• Georgia Sheep and Wool Growers Association – Home

At Competition

Sheep and Meat Goat 4-H projects may use posters, artifacts, biofacts, and/or technology to support their presentation. The time limit for presentations is 12 minutes. Computers, projectors, screens, and other technological devices may be used

Prepared by: Jason Estep, Keri Hobbs, and Gabrielle Buono
Reviewed by: Heather Shultz, Craven Hudson, and Claire Woodard