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FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE NJ 4-H CONTEST, WE ARE NO LONGER AWARDING POINTS FOR WEEK #1 ACTIVITIES; HOWEVER, THE ACTIVITIES ARE STILL AVAILABLE
Welcome to the first week of our adventure together!
You have from now until the end of Friday, April 17 to complete as many of these activities as you like. They are all optional, but you will earn up to 5 points for your club for each activity you complete. At the end of our seven weeks, the five top-scoring clubs will earn $200. We will also award up to 10 prizes of $100 to clubs scoring just outside of the top five. Good luck and enjoy learning and sharing about your project animals!
Alpaca/Llama
READ: We start the contest with a look at our most popular post since we started the blog in January of 2018, Llamas and Alpacas – Getting to Know Your Animal. You will read this article and let us know five interesting facts you learned about llamas and alpacas. Complete this Activity.
Dairy Cattle
DO: Just this past month we shared four great resources that anyone can use to learn how to judge dairy cattle, How to Prepare for a 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest. You will look at four Holstein dairy cows and determine which is the best – no experience necessary – give it a try! Complete this Activity.
Dog
MAKE: Back in December of 2018, we shared how to make chew toys for dogs, 4-Hers LOVE this Chew Toy Community Service Project. Using two old t-shirts, you will make a chew toy that you can use with your own dog or give to a friend. Complete this Activity.
Goat
WATCH: Each year we host an animal science video contest, 4-H Animal Science Video Contest – Expanded to Include ALL Animal Projects. You will watch one of the award-winning videos from the first five years of the contest and summarize what you learned. Complete this Activity.
Herpetology
VISIT: Another one of our more popular articles discusses reptiles and amphibians, What is the Difference Between Reptiles and Amphibians? As the authors recommend in this post, you will virtually visit some of the reptiles and amphibians at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Complete this Activity.
Horse & Pony
DO: Another post from this past month introduces body condition scoring in horses, Do You Know Your Horse’s Body Condition Score? You will learn about Body Condition Scoring and why it is important. While not necessary to complete this activity, if you have a horse, you will score it. Complete this Activity.
Poultry
RESEARCH: What do you need to raise chicks? With any animal project, it is important to do some research before getting started. Last summer we recommended a series of webinars, Webinars as Tools for Animal Science Education. You will view a webinar about raising chicks for backyard poultry. Complete this Activity.
Rabbit/Cavy/Small Animal
EXPLORE: There are a lot of breeds recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). You will explore the many breeds of rabbits and choose one that you don’t already know. Then you will do some more research to learn some interesting facts. Complete this Activity.
Sheep
WATCH: Last April we shared some of the most common foot issues found in sheep, Understanding and Treating Sheep Hoof Ailments. To help prevent a lot of these problems, you will learn how to properly trim hooves. Complete this Activity.
Swine
CALCULATE: There is math in animal production, as noted in an early swine post, Math Isn’t Hog Wash When it Comes to 4-H Swine Projects. In this activity, you will complete a couple of calculations related to the growth of pigs. Complete this Activity.
