The NJAES Board of Managers, in cooperation with Rutgers Cooperative Extension, is sponsoring the NJ Livestock Summit on March 21, 2019 at the Eco Complex in Bordentown from 6-9pm. Registration is FREE and can be completed online here. This event will be a great learning opportunity for anyone interested in livestock - large/small ruminants, swine and fowl. The flyer is … [Read more...]
Good Nutrition – the Key to Lambing Success
Investing in proper nutrition for pregnant and lactating ewes saves both time and money in the long run. Ewes in good body condition prior to delivery have healthier lambs and fewer complications than underweight or overweight ewes. As 70% of fetal lamb growth occurs in the last five weeks of pregnancy, it is important to increase feed for ewes at this time. After lambing, it … [Read more...]
Run an Animal Science Trivia Bowl
Ocean County 4-H runs a Jeopardy-style trivia competition, Animalology, once a year. There are several goals guiding this event: to challenge 4-Hers in reading comprehension, to make learning fun, and to build teamwork skills. We hope this event makes learning about animal science—and other areas of STEM—interactive and enjoyable. Interested in running (or collaborating on) … [Read more...]
Preparing for Lambing
Once your ewes are getting close to their due date, which is approximately 4-1/2 to 5 months after being bred, you need to have your barn ready. You want to protect the newborn lambs from the elements for the first few days or weeks. They always seem to be born on the coldest day of the year! Approximately a month before lambing, it’s recommended to vaccinate the mothers … [Read more...]
4-Hers to Learn from Rutgers Professors at Cook Campus Farm Event, March 30
Several Rutgers professors and farm staff will lead hands-on sessions about horses, cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, and rabbits at this year’s Junior Breeder Livestock Symposium, Saturday, March 30. 4-H families and clubs are encouraged to make the trip to their state university in New Brunswick to visit Rutgers, learn from the experts, and see the animals at the Cook Campus … [Read more...]
Expanded 4-H Animal Science Video Contest! – Entries Due March 11
Good news - the 4-H Sheep and Goat Video Contest has been expanded! It has been renamed the New Jersey 4-H Animal Science Video Contest and will now accept entries about several other animal project areas, in addition to sheep and goats. Youth may work individually or as a team to create 3-minute educational videos about horses, poultry, rabbits, dairy/beef cattle, swine, … [Read more...]
Getting Your Sheep Barn Ready for Winter
A Shropshire sheep standing in front of an example of proper winter shelter. Are your sheep ready for winter? The most important thing you can do is to make sure they have enough wool for the cold months. If a sheep has enough wool, it will never be cold. Fortunately, sheep do not need a lot of wool to handle New Jersey winters. A couple of inches will be fine. Sheep shorn in … [Read more...]
Animal Science in 4-H Public Presentations: Start Planning Now!
The school year, and a new 4-H year, are just beginning! But it is never too early for 4-H’ers to start thinking about club, county, state or national public presentation opportunities. How can you explore and showcase knowledge of animal science topics in a 4-H public presentation? Here are some ideas: Demonstration: This is already common practice in many counties. If … [Read more...]
No Animals, No Problem! Engaging urban and suburban youth in Animal Science projects
Last month we shared information about curriculum and resources available to lead urban livestock projects in urban and suburban areas. One reader came back to us with a great question: "If we don’t have bees, rabbits or chickens, can our youth still get involved with animal projects?" The answer is yes! If your family or club cannot commit to raising your own animals, there … [Read more...]
Opportunities for Urban and Suburban Livestock Experiences
Many of our urban and suburban youth have limited interaction with livestock. 4-H livestock projects, although not typical to urban or suburban areas, are possible and are becoming quite popular. In addition to learning about animal science, there is a great opportunity to teach young people about entrepreneurship. Does this mean 4-Hers bring cows to the into city? … [Read more...]