4-H members learn about quality

 

February 1, 2018

Shana Neesvig

WITHDRAWAL TIME - Sanders County 4-H youth receive "Quality Assurance" training, a requirement to take a market animal to fair. MSU Extension Agent Juli Thurston (left) uses residue from chocolate milk to demonstrate how various medications used to treat animals require different amounts of time to be "flushed" through the system. Youngsters (from left) Gavin Hafner, Marley Neesvig, Annalise Fairbank and Westin Wagoner, were taught the appropriate term for the time it takes for all residues to reach required levels safe for consumption as "withdrawal time."

Sanders County 4-H members are known for raising quality livestock. And it is no wonder why... they learn what it takes to produce excellence from the very beginning.

Youth who are in their first year of raising a 4-H market animal are required to complete training in "Quality Assurance." The course must be repeated, in more depth, when the member reaches high school age. Parents of livestock members are also required to attend the training once.

Juli Thurston, MSU Extension Agent for Sanders County, directed the training Monday evening in Thompson Falls.

"The objective of Livestock Quality Assurance is to assist youth in understanding their role as producers in the food supply chain and their responsibility to produce a safe food product while caring for animals in an ethical manner," Thurston commented. "Quality assurance education improves care and management of livestock, instills legal, moral and ethical production, provides safe food for consumers, and maintains public trust and confidence."

Why is this important? When bidders head to the Sanders County Fair this year, like previous years, they can have confidence they are purchasing a safe and top-quality product.

Thurston gave a glimpse of what to expect at the fair this year.

"Beef and goat are up this year, I believe," she said. "Sheep and swine are slightly down in comparison to last year's counts." She is anticipating the Labor Day weekend market to host 22 steer, 42 swine, four sheep, eight goats and two rabbits.

Livestock Quality Assurance for Youth Producers training covers why quality matters, how to provide the best facility for livestock, proper care and handling techniques, nutrition, overall animal health, medicinal label reading and withdrawal times, biosecurity and ethics.

 

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