Livestock Judging & State Qualifiers

Livestock judging is a process of evaluating, selecting, and placing various livestock species.

Selection of project animals is actually judging livestock, comparing the merits of one animal against the merits of other potential project animals. Livestock producers, breeders, feeders, buyers, and packers evaluate livestock for their potential as well. In 4-H, livestock judging contests are held to test the knowledge and skills of 4-H members.

Four steps are involved in judging animals:

Information - The judge must know the intended use of the animals.
Observation - The judge must carefully observe each animal and note how it meets or fails to meet the requirements of its intended use.
Comparison - Each animal must be compared with all others to establish differences and similarities.
Conclusion - After completion of the first three steps, the judge must arrive at a logical placing for the animals.

State 4-H Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Judging Contests

UC Davis Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Field Day

The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will be holding its annual Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Field Day on Friday, March 2nd and Saturday, March 3rd, 2012. This field day is open to FFA and 4-H high school students from California and surrounding states. These high school students come to Davis to compete in 24 different agriculturally based judging contests, ranging from livestock judging to agriculture computer applications. UC Davis students from a variety of majors coordinate the contests. Faculty and staff in CA&ES serve as advisors for these contests.

The UC Davis CA&ES Field Day will serve as the California 4-H State Qualifier for Poultry, Dairy, and Livestock judging. To register, please visit: http://www.calaged.org/registration.

4-H Youth 14-19 may participate.
A county may enter more than one livestock/dairy judging team. A judging team typically consists of four members and all must be from the same county. In calculating the team’s scores, the lowest individual score is dropped. A club or county may also enter a three-person team. If you do not have enough members to make a team, 4-Hers may compete as individuals. They will be eligible for individual awards but cannot qualify to go to National 4-H Livestock/Dairy Judging contests.
4-H Youth 9-13 may view Livestock Judging and Dairy Judging classes after the contest.
This event is the state qualifier for poultry, livestock, and dairy judging. CATA contest rules apply for classes, tiebreakers, & awards, etc., available: http://calagteachers.org/CurricularActivitiesCode.html
Each county verifies their team(s) including team composition, 4-H youth in good standing and age requirements, etc.
Livestock Judging Contest: New: Meat Goat 1 Class, Performance Reasons, No Livestock Test
Dairy Judging Contest: Ca State 4-H Dairy Judging Contest Rules and Regulations requires participating youth to be enrolled in a 4-H Dairy Project. NOTE: 4-H youth representing the state qualifying team for the World Dairy Expo, must be turning at least 15 years of age during the year of the contest.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) 4-H_FFA_Grange_CDFA_Agreement describes the statewide cooperation between these organizations and policies governing membership and project participation in them.

4-H Contest Liaison/Coordinator: Matthew Portillo, PhD at mtportillo@ucdavis.edu

Livestock Judging	Dairy Judging	Poultry Judging
Livestock Judging - CATA Code	Dairy Cattle Judging - CATA Code	Poultry Judging - CATA Code
General Rules - CATA Code

National 4-H Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Judging Contests

National 4-H Competitive Event Rules

Livestock

The first place team in the State 4-H Livestock Judging contest is eligible to represent California in the official National 4-H Livestock Judging competition in Louisville, Kentucky. http://www.livestockexpo.org/

The second place team may participate in the American Royal in November in Kansas City, MO. http://www.americanroyal.com/

The third place team may participate in the National Western Stock Show in January in Denver, CO. http://www.nationalwestern.com/

Dairy

To provide youth with an experiential learning opportunity that focuses on decision making, critical thinking, communication and teamwork life skills as well as building mastery in the area of Dairy science and its related career fields. This is an educational experience that will prepare and provide an opportunity to evaluate youth’s mastery in accordance with national 4-H program guidelines for future participation at a national educational event. The Dairy Judging Contest at the state level would be held in conjunction with an official state FFA judging contest as a way to reduce costs. It will be under the jurisdiction of the State 4-H Animal Science Advisory Committee to conduct each year as it does the State Livestock Judging Contest.

The knowledge gained by holding a contest that follows national standards would provide educational benefits to all the youth who participate in California at this state contest.
Youth will have an opportunity to increase their understanding in the evaluation of the different aspects of the dairy industry including but not limited to cattle selection, husbandry and production of quality dairy products. This will require them to develop critical thinking skills as well as employ high-quality decision making skills while working as a coherent team.

Each county is invited to enter one or more 4-H dairy judging teams of three members. A team may also enter one alternative member per team. Each 4-H dairy team must be accompanied by a 4-H team coach that is authorized as a 4-H adult volunteer.

To view contest rules and regulations, please see California State 4H Dairy Contest Rules

The top placing county team in the State 4-H Dairy Judging contest is eligible to represent California in the official National 4-H Dairy Judging competition at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, October 4 - 8, 2011. The Expo is the international dairy meeting place, a five day event showcasing the finest in dairy genetics and the newest technologies available to the dairy industry. For more information please visit http://www.worlddairyexpo.com/

Poultry

The top placing county team in the State 4-H Poultry Judging contest is eligible to represent California in the official National 4-H Poultry Judging competition in Kentucky. http://national4hpoultryandegg.psu.edu/judging.html.