We are excited to announce the New Jersey 4-H Animal Art Contest – FREE and open to all NJ 4-H members in grades K-13! While all artwork must be animal-themed, you do NOT need to be enrolled in that particular animal project to enter art in that department. You don’t even need to have an animal project to enter the contest, as long as you are a registered NJ 4-H member with … [Read more...]
Junior Breeder Symposium – Saturday, March 27 – Register Today!
This year’s NJ Junior Breeder Symposium will be held online, via Zoom, from 8:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 27 (NO fee this year). We have put together an all-star line-up of Rutgers professors, veterinarians, animal care professionals, graduate students, and volunteers. Register today (it’s FREE) to learn about animal care, behavior, training, breeding, … [Read more...]
Online Animal Science Resources for Members and Leaders While Remote
Many 4H club leaders are having difficulty finding resources they can use during a virtual 4-H meeting or while members are learning about their projects at home. In a quick search, one can find some help. We have compiled a few of those resources here. Collection of Virtual Resources Compiled by Cornell University 4-H in New York has put together this great list of online … [Read more...]
Taking Care of your Horse in the Winter
As the weather gets colder I get more questions as to what horse owners can do to keep their horses from losing weight, how to keep them warmer, and how to go about safely riding them all winter long. Hopefully I can address some of your thoughts and concerns here before more real winter weather hits us in New Jersey. In the winter all horses need extra energy to help keep … [Read more...]
Ideas to Make Virtual Club Meetings Fun and Educational
In this year of the coronavirus pandemic all 4-H staff and volunteers have had to pivot from in-person programs to virtual programs, AND so did the school system. Our 4-H members have had a double whammy of virtual programs and spend a lot of time on their computers. So, how do you continue to keep your members engaged in this environment? They might really want in-person 4-H … [Read more...]
Club Support: Three Online Courses on Food Safety and Microbiology
If you are looking for ways to supplement your 4-H club or other youth program in the area of Animal Science, Animal U by the Iowa State University has a wealth of interactive and educational resources. The web trainings here are educational yet highly accessible to youth audiences. Production livestock projects may benefit from asking youth to complete the Food Safety and … [Read more...]
Livestock and Poultry Identification Resources and Bingo Game
Do you know why it is important to identify your animals? Do you know how to properly identify animals? Storms may take down trees and cause damage to barns allowing livestock to walk through downed fences or an electric fence that is no longer hot. If a barn or chicken coop were to become damaged, it is possible that scared animals run quite far from their own home and your … [Read more...]
Club Support: Animal Vital Signs Activity
Pennsylvania 4-H has a resource page of at-home 4-H activities that can be useful to 4-H clubs meeting remotely during COVID-19 social distancing. One series of at-home activities that may be assigned to club members this year is appropriate for companion animal projects as well as livestock: the Animal Vital Signs series: "Vital Information" - What is Normal? … [Read more...]
So You Want to Work in a Zoo?
This past July, 4-H Program Associates Amelia Valente and Brittany Rigg held a S.T.E.P (Short Term Exploratory Program) called Career Detectives. The mission of this program was to expose youth to zoo careers they might be interested in pursuing. Participants virtually connected with several professionals in the field, including Zoo Keepers, Behavioral Specialists, Water … [Read more...]
4-H Entries for Statewide Virtual Fair!
Calling all those in 4-H animal projects - there are multiple classes for each of you at the New Jersey 4-H Virtual Fair, but you only have a few more days to enter! All information (and a link for entries) is available at the 4-H fair's website. The many categories for project entries are outlined in the exhibitor’s guide, also available at the same site. While we hope … [Read more...]