Education
Objectives
• Understand the importance of character
education for Texas 4-H and FFA
members.
• Ensure that all 4-H and FFA livestock
projects meet food quality standards.
• Promote a positive image of youth
livestock programs.
What is character education?
• Character – The combination of qualities or features
that distinguishes one person, group or thing from
another (American Heritage Dictionary)
• Developed through day-to-day behavior
• Demonstrated by the way people act
and the things they are involved in
• Young people emulate character traits
of adult role models.
• Important to have role models who
demonstrate good character traits
Six Pillars of Character
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Trustworthiness
Respect
Responsibility
Fairness
Caring
Citizenship
Trustworthiness
• Recognizes that animals depend on their
caretakers
• Feeds only approved livestock rations
• Feeds and waters animals daily
• Adheres to the possession
deadlines
• Adheres to withdrawal times
for drugs and dewormers
• Uses only approved drugs
Respect
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Showmanship
Handles and treats animals humanely
Cares for animals properly
Listens to and follows advice of advisors
Recognizes that animals depend on their
caretakers
Responsibility
• Feeds and waters animals daily (even on busy,
difficult days)
• Goes beyond providing the daily needs of the
animal by giving it extra time and attention to
produce a winner
• Adheres to deadlines for entry form and for arrival
at livestock shows
• Feeds only approved livestock
rations
• Uses only approved drugs
Fairness
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Feeds only approved livestock rations
Uses only approved drugs
Accepts winning or losing with grace
Follows rules in the show ring
Follows recommended
procedures for fitting and
grooming an animal
Caring
• Feeds and waters the animals daily
• Keeps the stall and barn clean
• Handles and treats animals humanely
Citizenship
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Accepts instruction
Accepts winning or losing with grace
Helps others at stock shows
Teaches younger members
Handles and treats animals
humanely
• Ensures that meat is safe
for consumption
For additional information and activities on the Six Pillars of Character in
the Quality Counts curriculum see:
Chapter 1: Introduction to “Quality Counts,” Lesson 5
Activity 1 – Defining the Six Pillars of Character
Activity 2 – Applying the Six Pillars of Character to Livestock Projects
Activity 3 – It’s a Question of Ethics
Activity 4 – Tight Spaces
Purpose of 4-H and FFA
• Important for young people to understand the
mission and purpose of both 4-H and FFA
• Helps them appreciate each of the organizations
and the privilege of membership
• Each organization promotes the following
• Life skills
• Success
• Leadership
• Educational experiences
• Personal growth
• Challenges
• Competencies
• Preparing young people
• Potential
For additional information and activities on the Purpose of 4-H and FFA
in the Quality Counts curriculum see:
Chapter 1: Introduction to “Quality Counts,” Lesson 2
Activity 1 – Understanding 4-H and FFA
Activity 2 – 4-H and FFA Building Character
Purpose of Livestock Projects
• Teach young people how to feed and care for animals,
work cooperatively with others, and exhibit animals
properly
• Teach life skills
• Encourage responsibility in civic duties:
– Excellent classroom grades
– Exemplary behavior in school
and community
– Follow all rules related
to showing livestock
For additional information and activities on the Purpose of Livestock
Projects in the Quality Counts curriculum see:
Chapter 1: Introduction to “Quality Counts,” Lesson 3
Activity 1 – The Real Purpose of Livestock Projects
Activity 2 – Name that Skill
Making Decisions / Setting Goals
• Learning to set goals is important
to youth development.
• Young people who write clear,
defined goals are more likely
to achieve those goals.
• When writing goals, focus on
raising and caring for livestock,
practicing showmanship, and
helping others.
For additional information and activities on Making Decisions/Setting Goals
in the Quality Counts curriculum see:
Chapter 4: Showing With Sportsmanship, Lesson 1
Activity 1 – What motivates us to have livestock projects?
Activity 2 – What is success?
Activity 3 – Writing Personal Goals
Effect of Livestock Projects on
the Red Meat Industry
• Texas had 76,326 livestock entries by 4-H and FFA
members in 2006.
• Texas leads the nation in the number of livestock
projects exhibited.
• Young people are paid
premiums for their
animals at local and
county livestock shows.
• Young exhibitors should be producing
safe, wholesome food products.
For additional information and activities on the Impact of Livestock
Projects on the Red Meat Industry in the Quality Counts curriculum see:
Quality Counts - Gold: Marketing Livestock Section
Animal Identification and Tracking
• Identification is important for tracking animals.
• Helps tell the history of the animal
• This may include:
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exhibitor / owner
birth date of animal
location of animal
genetics of animal
• If ID is lost or falls out, a new
one must be put in.
For additional information and activities on Animal Identification
and Tracking in the Quality Counts curriculum see:
Chapter 3: Proper Care of Livestock, Lesson 1
Activity 1 – Ear Notching
Responsibility to Produce
a Safe Product
• Young people should understand:
– Food Quality Assurance
– HACCP Plans
– Effects of improper medications and incorrect feedstuffs
• Producing unsafe food can be
detrimental to the food supply.
• Consequences include:
– Contamination
– Pesticide or drug residue problems
– Food recalls
For additional information and activities on Responsibilities of Producing
a Safe Product in the Quality Counts curriculum see:
Chapter 2: Food Safety, Lesson 2
Activity 1 – Create Your Own HACCP Plan
Activity 2 – Identifying Hazards
Activity 3 – Broken Needles
Medication Use / Reading
and Following Labels
Young people should know:
• how to read medication labels
and give proper injections
• the difference between label,
off label and extra label drugs
• how to give injections properly
• injection site blemishes cause
muscle cuts to be discarded
For additional information and activities on Medication Use / Identifying
and Following Labels in the Quality Counts curriculum see:
Chapter 3: Proper Care of Livestock,
Lesson 2
Activity 1 – Reading a Medication Insert
Activity 2 – Reading a Feed Tag
Activity 3 – Label Use of Drugs
Activity 4 – Medication Labels
Lesson 3, Administering Medicines
Activity 1 – Livestock Injection Sites
Activity 2 – Banana Injection
Activity 3 – Injection Site Blemish
Activity 4 – Burrs on Needles
Lesson 4 – Drug Withdrawal Times
Activity 1 – Record Keeping
Activity 2 – Calculating Withdrawal
Times
Activity 3 – Treatment Record
Lesson 5 – Drug Residues
Activity 1 – Disappearing Residue
Activity 2 – Sunscreen No No
Animal Care and Well-Being
• Provide proper facilities for livestock.
• Facilities should be well ventilated
and protect animals from extreme
temperatures.
• Provide fresh water and feed daily.
• Proper bedding helps prevent
disease and bacterial infections.
• Use low-stress methods when
transporting animals.
For additional information and activities on Animal Care and Well-Being
in the Quality Counts curriculum see:
Chapter 3: Proper Care of Livestock, Lesson 6
Activity 1 – Defining Character and Ethics
Lesson 7, Caring for your Animal’s Health
Activity 1 – Calculating Average Daily Gain
Activity 2 – Calculating Dosage from Medicine Labels
Activity 3 – Estimating Show Weight
Activity 4 – Keeping Records for a Livestock Project
Final Thoughts
• Adults should embrace all educational aspects of
livestock projects.
• When showing livestock, exhibitors should not be
focused on winning or losing but on gaining life skills and
learning good character traits.
• Adults should emphasize the eight core concepts of
Quality Counts:
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Six Pillars of Character
Purpose of 4-H / FFA
Purpose of livestock projects
Making
Effect of livestock projects on the red meat industry
Responsibility to produce a safe product
Medication use / reading and following labels
Animal care and well-being