Decatur County’s 4-H junior livestock judging team captured third place at the State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest held at the UGA Animal & Dairy Science Instructional Arena in Athens, Ga., on March 26.

Team members were Charley Rayfield, Griffin Long, Anders Austinson and Josiah Austinson.

Rayfield was high junior individual in judging lambs and sixth overall junior individual.

Josiah Austinson was honored with third overall junior individual.

Seniors members Levi Adkins and Stennes Austinson competed as individuals in the senior contest and were both awarded top 20 honors.

At the state competition, the 4-H’ers matched judging skills against other teams and individuals from across the state.

The junior team judged two classes of beef cattle, two classes of swine and two classes of lambs. Each class contained four animals and each team member placed them according to the proper characteristics of breeding or market animals. To support their decisions, each junior member gave oral reasons for their placement of the animals for two classes. Students also answered a set of questions based on their observations for a class of market hogs.

Senior competitors judged eight classes: Three classes of beef cattle, three classes of swine and two classes of lambs. To support their decisions, each senior member gave oral reasons for their placement of animals for four classes. Seniors also answered a set of questions based on their observations for a class of market hogs.

Prior to the state competition, the Decatur County 4-H junior livestock judging team won first place honors at the Gadsden County, Fla., Livestock Judging Contest.

Junior team members competing in Gadsden County were Miller Hayes, Taylor Barber, Charley Rayfield, Anders Austinson and Josiah Austinson.

Rayfield was third overall junior individual.

Senior individuals also competing in the contest were Stennes Austinson and Levi Adkins. Adkins was third overall senior individual.

4-H’ers have been practicing diligently since November in preparation for the contests. Throughout their participation in livestock judging, these youth have practiced important life skills including goal setting, decision making, communication, teamwork, contribution to group effort, self motivation, critical thinking, problem solving, planning, organizing, keeping records and cooperation.

4-H is the youth program of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

For more information, call the UGA Cooperative Extension Service at 248-3033 or visit Georgia 4-H on the web at www.georgia4h.org.

Lindsey B. Hayes is the 4-H coordinator with the Decatur County Extension Service. She can be reached by calling 248-3033 or e-mailing her at uge4087@uga.edu.