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Beef Quality Corner - Expo Cattle Working Contest Results
Livestock Update, May 2001
Bill McKinnon, Extension Animal Scientist, Marketing, VA Tech
Eleven teams of 4-H and FFA members competed in the state championships of the Youth Cattle Working Contest at the Virginia Beef Expo on April 14 in Lexington. Those teams competing in Lexington won the right to participate in the state championships by their performance in three regional contests held in March and early April. A total of twenty-three local teams had competed in the regional contests held in Madison, Harrisonburg, and Dublin.
The GalaxFFA/Grayson 4-H team won the contest with a score of 96 out of a possible 100 points. Winning team members included Jamin Rector, Aaron Adams, and Justin Sutherland. Tammy Halsey, teacher at Galax High School, and Jim Osborne, Grayson County extension agent, coached the winning team. The Reserve Champion team was from Orange 4-H with team members Erin Southard, Beth Haberland, and Albert Lohman. The Reserve Champion team was trained by Steve Hopkins, Orange County extension agent and volunteer leader Patty Knight. The third place team from Spottswood FFA consisted of Mikie Michael, Steven Michael and Josh Joseph and was coached by Wayne Cupp, vocational education teacher at Spottswood High School.
The fourth place team was from Grayson 4-H/FFA while the Pulaski 4-H "A" team placed fifth. Other teams that won the right to compete to the state championship were Tazewell FFA, Madison 4-H, Grayson 4-H/FFA, Tazewell 4-H, Pulaski 4-H, and Highland Co. FFA.
Each three-member team was required to process three head of stocker weight cattle. Products administered to the cattle included a Ralgro implant, Eprinex pour-on dewormer, two Double Barrel fly tags, a Vision 7 with Spur vaccination, and a Pyamid 4 vaccination. Before the cattle were processed, team members completed a cattle processing map which required members to interpret product label information. Completion of the processing map accounted for 20% of the possible score. Teams were also judged on the manner in which they handled the cattle and products. The time taken to process the cattle accounted for 10% of the possible score. Preparation for the contest requires team members to learn about cattle handling, implants, vaccine preparation and administration along with a healthy dose of beef quality assurance.
Dr. Tabby Moore, local veterinarian, Mike Henry, extension agent, and Susan Silver, Fort Dodge Animal Health representative served as contest judges.
Contest sponsors included Fort Dodge Animal Health, Intervet, Merial, Schering Plough, and Cowco handling equipment. Perry Huffman of Rockbridge County provided the cattle for the contest. Knight Cattle Co., Wayne Shifflett, Andy Cullip, and Tim Sutphin also provided support to the three regional contests.