Decatur County’s 4-H junior livestock judging team captured 3rd place at the State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest held at the UGA Animal & Dairy Science Instructional Arena in Athens, Georgia on March 26th.

Front, from left, Charley Rayfield, Griffin Long, Anders Austinson
Back, from left, Levi Adkins, Stennes Austinson, Josiah Austinson

Team members are as follows: Charley Rayfield, Griffin Long, Anders Austinson, and Josiah Austinson.  Charley Rayfield was high junior individual in judging lambs and 6th overall junior individual.  Josiah Austinson was honored with 3rd overall junior individual.

Seniors members, Levi Adkins and Stennes Austinson, competed as individuals in the senior contest and were both awarded top 20 honors.

At the state competition, the 4-H’ers matched judging skills against other teams and individuals from across the state.  The junior team judged 2 classes of beef cattle, 2 classes of swine, and 2 classes of lambs.

Each class contained four animals and each team member placed them according to the proper characteristics of breeding or market animals.  To support their decisions, each junior member gave oral reasons for their placement of the animals for 2 classes.  Students also answered a set of questions based on their observations for a class of market hogs.

Senior competitors judged 8 classes: 3 classes of beef cattle, 3 classes of swine, and 2 classes of lambs.  To support their decisions, each senior member gave oral reasons for their placement of animals for 4 classes.  Seniors also answered a set of questions based on their observations for a class of market hogs.

Prior to the state competition, the Decatur County 4-H junior livestock judging team won 1st place honors at the Gadsden County, FL Livestock Judging Contest.  Junior team members competing in Gadsden County were Miller Hayes, Taylor Barber, Charley Rayfield, Anders Austinson, and Josiah Austinson.   Charley Rayfield was 3rd overall junior individual.  Senior individuals also competing in the contest were Stennes Austinson and Levi Adkins.  Levi Adkins was 3rd overall senior individual.

4-H’ers have been practicing diligently since November in preparation for the contests.  Throughout their participation in livestock judging, these youth have practiced important life skills including goal setting, decision making, communication, teamwork, contribution to group effort, self motivation, critical thinking, problem solving, planning, organizing, keeping records, and cooperation.

4-H is the youth program of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.  For more information, call the UGA Cooperative Extension Service at 229-248-3033 or visit Georgia 4-H.