Experiential Learning is Key to 4-H Animal Science Round-Up

Tuesday through Thursday of last week the 2017 Animal Science Round-Up took place at the Jeff and Deb Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center as well as Kildee Hall and the ISU teaching farms.  Around 50 teenagers traveled from across the state of Iowa to attend.   The animal science group is part of a larger group of close to 1000 4-H students that visit campus.  

Students spend 3 days listening to expert speakers and attending workshops, mixers, dances, a banquet and community service activities. During that time students split into their focus groups and have specialized educational activities that focus on hands-on learning and fun.  

This year the Animal Science Round-up focused on swine, sheep, beef and poultry sections.  Students were required to choose a section and were able to concentrate specifically on that one animal group.  All of the animal science groups traveled to the respective teaching farm.   Some of the activities planned at the farms are listed below.  

Sheep:  Using and training herding dogs, on-farm lamb necropsy, live lamb selection, lamb cooking and sampling   

Beef:  Story City Meat Locker, ISU meat lab, ruminology, beef nutrition, a visit to Nichols Cryo Genetics

Swine:  Swine nutrition, hog to brat, Swine reproduction selection 

Poultry:  Grading Eggs externally, mock egg contest, pullorum testing, environmental measurements PH, air flow, light  

The event finished up with a quiz bowl competition. Amy Powell and Mike Anderson, both Extension Program Specialists, organized the event.