- Learn about fairs and conduct your own classroom fair with "A Trip to the Animal Fair":
The animal barn at the county fair is a good place to witness the excellent care given to animals grown for food. The basis of animal judging at the fair is to showcase animal health. Healthy animals produce healthy and high quality meat, milk, cheese and eggs. Professional livestock producers display their breeding stock at the fair alongside 4-H and FFA youth competing for prizes. The following guide explains the criteria used for judging healthy beef animals, swine and sheep.
Livestock Judging Guide for 4-H Members (Kansas State University)
Field Trip
Take a field trip to the animal barn at the county fair and have students use the criteria from the guide above to judge animals they see at the fair.
- More Animal Agriculture Links
- Oklahoma 4-H Literature Online
- Sparkle: A Little Girl and Her Pig (movie)
- Games: Barnyard Fun
Beautiful BovineBeef or DairyChew It Twice
Come Into My Parlor
Farm BabiesCoats and Genes: Genetic Traits in Cattle (Grades 6-8)
Coats and Genes: Genetic Traits in Cattle (Grades 9-12)
Good Breeding
Hogs on a Diet
How the Brahman Bull Got Its Hump
Street CowsThey Don't Just Eat Grass