Many 4-H activities and opportunities involve animals. Knowledge and skill are needed for proper and safe care of animals as companions or for food production.
Indiana 4-H provided 11 county-based programs in animal science, life skills and professional development, animal well-being and food safety. Learning experiences for youth were provided as animal science experiences, vet or animal science camps, SPARK clubs and livestock ambassadors.
For animal well-being, 57 youth from 7 programs indicated they: learned how to identify if an animal was healthy (100%), practice safe animal handling (98%), learned about housing/shelter for their animal (97%), and learned how to handle animals safely (95%). For animal science life skills and professional development, 106 youth from 10 programs indicated they: shared what they have learned about raising animals with others (93%), would look for ways to help if they learn about someone mistreating animals (96%), and learned how to solve problems when raising their animals (91%). Many reported that they learned how to show off their animal’s best qualities (81%) and how to judge or evaluate an animal (77%). For aspirations toward animal science, youth indicated they would like careers: caring for animals (87%), raising animals (86%), and in animal science (78%). For food safety and food production animals, there were 78 youth in 6 programs who reported they: know what people are looking for when they buy animal products (96%), learned how their actions affect the safety of the food produced by their animals (89%), and know why it is important to track where animals are raised (83%).
Through Indiana 4-H’s animal science programs, youth learn and practice safe animal care and handling. These youth and the skills they learn contribute to keeping domestic pets and livestock safe and in good care.