Project Resouces
As an Ellis County 4-H Club member, you have access to all the 4-H Explore Guides! These guides provide information if you’re just getting started and include tips and reminders to help any year 4-H’er to continue to improve on their project skills. Click on the logo or the link below to start Exploring!
4-H Explore Guides
Here are a few other helpful, project-related links:
4-H Show Lamb Guide (AS 3-4.059)
Managing Beef Cattle for Show (AS 1-2)
Backyard Production of Meat Rabbits in Texas (E-138)
How to Produce Broilers & Roasters for Show (EPS-012)
Nutrition & Feeding of Show Poultry (L-5159)
Getting Started with Show Broilers (L-5539)
Miscellaneous links:
Ellis County Youth Expo-what to bring
Ellis County Youth Expo-what to bring 4-H ONLY
Quality Counts
The purpose of the Quality Counts Program
The primary objectives are to enable students to understand the relationship between good character and safe food practices and to apply knowledge regarding the ethical implications of livestock-raising decisions.
Any youth who shows livestock must take the Quality Counts course. The frequency to take the Quality Counts course is based on the youth’s age group. When a youth ages out of a grade group, they will need to take the course again. The grade groups are listed below.
- Junior – grades 3-5
- Intermediate – grades 6-8
- Senior – grades 9-12
Click Here for instructions for Quality Counts course enrollment guide
Quality Counts Curriculum
The Josephson Institute of Ethics, as part of its nationwide CHARACTER COUNTS! effort has identified six main values or traits that define a person of good character. They are:
- Trustworthiness
- Respect
- Responsibility
- Fairness
- Caring
- Citizenship
People develop and strengthen their character by practicing certain behaviors, just as muscles are built through exercise. Because of the responsibilities involved in carrying out 4-H and FFA livestock projects, these projects are a good venue for teaching the importance of character to young people. As they learn how to care for and show their animals, they can also learn the truth of the old saying: “The important thing is not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.”
In the Quality Counts curriculum, teachers and leaders will find lessons that illustrate the relationship between best animal husbandry practices and desirable behavior. Each chapter has its own set of objectives, with lessons and activities to help young people take responsibility for, and see the consequences of, their own decisions.
The overall objectives of Quality Counts are:
♦ To provide character education for Texas youth who participate in 4-H and FFA livestock projects.
♦ To ensure that animals raised in 4-H and FFA livestock projects meet all food quality and safety standards.
♦ To maintain a positive image of youth livestock programs.
Click Here to access the Quality Counts Curriculum PDF Booklet
Texas 4-H Homes for Horses Program
We are excited to announce the new grant-funded program Texas 4-H Homes for Horses. Consider it a tangible way for 4-H youth to help the at-risk (“unwanted”) horse population in Texas!
CLICK HERE for Program Information/Details
Program Goals
- Provide Texas 4-H youth the opportunity to engage in a hands-on program that actively helps to solve the at-risk horse problem in Texas
- Reduce the number of at-risk horses in Texas by providing an outlet for horses that need additional training in order to be adoptable
- Facilitate the opportunity for new 4-H families to get involved with horses who otherwise might not have been able to participate
Horse Care and Management Tips for Flooded Areas
Texas A&M Equine Reproductive Management Short Course on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. (Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications)
Recent heavy rains and flood events have caused several horse owners to be concerned about pasture conditions and potential hazards associated with flood events. The following discussion outlines steps to be taken to ensure the safety of horses in pastures following heavy rainfall events.
CLICK HERE to read full article
(Press release, May 12, 2021; Mark Arnold, Ellis County Ag & Natural Resources County Extension Agent)
4-H Rabbit Raisers: Highly Contagious Rabbit Disease in Texas
RHDV2 was found in Lampasas and Hamilton Counties. This is a highly contagious, deadly virus, affecting domestic and wild rabbits. Per TAHC mandate, all rabbits in the barns were euthanized and the barn must remain empty for 90 days. Because this virus is now in D8 (Hamilton County), here are some of the recommendations that are being put out by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. At this time, the ARBA is asking breeders close to outbreaks to enact strict bio-security measures to reduce the opportunity of their herds contracting this deadly virus. Rabbit breeders are encouraged to not utilize cross country transport service during this time in an effort to contain the outbreak and protect rabbit populations across the continent.
Per ARBA show rules, a sanctioned show “reserved the right to refuse entries from exhibitors placing an entry from all locations within 150 miles which has had a confirmed outbreak of RCV/RHD/VHD within the past 60 days of the entry deadline.” If the virus continues to spread in our area, this can affect exhibitors’ entries to local breeder shows and the State Fair of Texas.
