4-Her?s get hands-on learning

Washington County 4-H was excited to offer Beef Blast, an extended hands-on learning experience, this year with a visit to ISU campus focusing on the beef reproduction. This day allowed participants to learn from ISU Animal Science professors to have a better understanding a variety of variables affecting beef reproduction.

In different work groups throughout the day, they experienced a variety of hands-on lessons at the ISUE Hansen Learning Center.

Clara Schmitz, Crooked Creek 4-H Club, said, ?I learned the importance of nutrition when getting your cows ready to breed.? At one station they used a database of feed ingredients to plan feed rations that would increase reproductivity.

They saw female reproductive systems, identified parts, practiced an artificial insemination and dissected the organs. ?The neatest part of the day was learning, seeing and dissecting the male and female anatomy for beef reproduction,? said Isaac Black, Highlander 4-H Club.

They were able to make use of the Hansen Learning Center arena to see a variety of heifers and make selection on those best for breeding based on visual inspection and evaluation of their expected progeny differences (EDP). Bulls were also involved for the breeding soundness exam.

?This was our second experience taking 4-H?ers on a trip to ISU during the school year for programming and it couldn?t have gone better,? said Amy Green, Washington County 4-H/Youth Coordinator. ?The facilities, the schedule, the lessons were awesome. The day made their beef projects come to life to see how they as growers have some control behind the science and reproduction of their beef herds.?

This beef animal science trip was made possible in part by a Gary Sheetz Memorial gift to Washington County 4-H.

For more information on the 4-H beef project area or how to get involved with Washington County 4-H as a member, volunteer, or sponsor, contact Amy Green at 319-653-4811.