Richland County 4-H Teams Participate at NILE Livestock Evaluation

The NILE 4-H and FFA livestock evaluation contest was held in Billings on October 16, 2012. Two teams from Richland County participated in this contest. The senior 4-H team consisted of Rachael Oliver with the Yellowstone Valley Trailblazers, and three participants from the Three Buttes club: Christian Prevost, Jared Rosaaen and Lane Verschoot. The junior 4-H team consisted of Jordan Baxter, Jenna Baxter, Jaylen Baxter and Riley Kostelecky, all with the Forever Buds club.

While at the livestock evaluation, participants look at four animals within the same species and judge them. The animals are judged either on breeding or market standards. A few of the breeding standards are structural soundness, overall condition and characteristics that will be passed on to their young if they were to breed. Some of the market standards include meat and muscle concentration, overall size or weight and fat content. The participants then rank them on those standards, while taking notes for the reasons portion of the evaluation. Following the rankings, the judges pick a category and the participants explain their reasoning for ranking them the way they did.

The senior team placed 2nd overall. Individually, Lane Verschoot was 5th overall, earning 1st in placing. Jared Rosaaen was 10th overall, earning 10th in placing and 5th in reasons. Rachael Oliver was 13th overall, earning 13th in placing and 7th in reasons. The junior team did well too, placing 6th overall. Individually, Jordan Baxter was 12th overall, earning 9th in placing.