Animal Care and 4-H Fairs
Our summer fairs provide many opportunities for 4-H youth, volunteers, and Extension staff to interact with the public on animal care issues. To insure that the public observes the well-being of animals at fairs being carefully protected, a group of Extension faculty led by Lindsay Chichester and Dennis Bauer, are developing a set of Animal Care resources targeting youth and adults involved in animal shows and events. A first set of fact sheets focuses on Good Production Practices for Youth addresses: 1) Feed and Nutrition http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g2156.pdf ; 2) Shelter and Housing http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g2157.pdf ; 3) Frequent Monitoring for Health Concerns http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g2158.pdf; 4) Injections http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g2159.pdf; and 5) Injury http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g2160.pdf; 6) Low Stress Handling http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g2161.pdf; 7) Heat Stress http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g2162.pdf. Each fact sheet includes a checklist of important animal care considerations prior to and at the fair. Within the next couple of weeks, an additional set of resources will be available on youth communicating with the public about their animal project.
We ask that all Extension staff make animal care a priority during this year’s 4-H fairs. Remember that our public is watching closely. We encourage you to use these educational resources possibly in the following ways:
• Share these resources by direct mail or other means with youth exhibiting at county fair;
• Create simple check lists of best practices that are easily visible to exhibitors and public;
• Orient youth and adults on best care practices at the start of your fair;
• Create an “I Care About Animal Care” purple ribbon and recognize youth that are demonstrating good animal care.
What ideas can you add to this list? Lindsay Chichester will collect your ideas for sharing with faculty and staff.
These new materials will be revised again after this summer’s fair season. After using these resources this summer, your suggestions will be gathered. Final copies of these resources will be published later this fall.
Extension Administration expresses our appreciation of Lindsay Chichester for her excellent leadership of these timely resources as well as the Extension Animal Well-Being work group. This group is led by David Aiken and includes Richard Randle, David Smith, Dennis Bauer, Brad Lubben, Randy Cantrell, Duane Reese, Kris Spath, and Dee Griffin. Thank you to everyone who demonstrates that Animal Care is a priority for our 4-H youth programs.
-- Elbert Dickey
-- Beth Birnstihl
-- Kathleen Lodl
-- Rick Koelsch
School of Natural Resources Leadership
Effective August 1, 2012, Dr. Tala Awada has agreed to serve as Interim Director of the School of Natural Resources and Dr. Larkin Powell will serve as Interim Associate Director. These appointments will continue until a permanent Director is identified and assumes the responsibilities of leading the School. The ongoing search for a permanent Director will continue with the assistance of a search firm. The search advisory committee that is currently in place will continue in an advisory role to the search firm. Names of candidates or nominees currently in the search process will be included in the list being compiled by the search firm.
These leadership roles are very important to the continued success of the School. It is the collective sense of the administrators within the IANR that Tala and Larkin will provide sound, stable, and visionary servant leadership in their interim roles. They have our complete support, and we ask that you give them your support.
We also want to recognize and thank Dr. Wilhite for leading the School for the past five years. Thank you Don!
-- Elbert C. Dickey