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A goat.
April 3, 2023 - Filed Under: 4-H, 4-H Livestock Program, Youth Livestock, Youth Projects, Agriculture, Livestock, Goats and Sheep

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Not so long ago, goats were niche livestock animals in Mississippi. But these small ruminants have grown in popularity in recent years, especially dairy goats. Farmers who have limited acreage or want to diversify their livestock operations often choose goats. Others want goats for their meat or milk. Regardless of the purpose, people who want to join the ranks of goat owners should understand some important aspects of goat ownership before bringing one home.

A young man holds three plaques.
February 10, 2023 - Filed Under: 4-H, 4-H Livestock Program, Youth Livestock

JACKSON, Miss. -- Since the age of 7, Smith County 4-H’er Chase Boone has been showing mostly Simmental cattle in the Dixie National Junior Round-Up each year.

He is now a high school senior who will soon be moving on to college but not before a final appearance in one of his favorite livestock show events. He ended up exhibiting two supreme champion livestock -- the supreme beef female and the supreme beef bull -- and was named one of six premier exhibitors.

It was a successful send-off, if not a bittersweet one.

Two young women display a lamb in a show ring.
February 11, 2022 - Filed Under: 4-H, 4-H Livestock Program, Youth Livestock

JACKSON, Miss. -- Lily and Emma Grace Putnam raised their Mississippi-bred reserve champion lamb in their Sunflower County pasture, which they recently finished fencing in with the help of loans and grants.

“We have always had the land and have been pasturing it in piece by piece as we’ve been able to, but we needed to complete the fencing this year so we could finish breeding our ewes,” said Lily Putnam, a Sunflower County 4-H’er based in Sunflower County. “The loan was helpful to me because we used it to buy equipment to get ready for lambing and start a breeding business.”

A goat stands in front of a fence.
June 10, 2021 - Filed Under: 4-H, 4-H Livestock Program, Youth Livestock, Agriculture, Agri-business, Goats and Sheep

Dairy goats make up a niche market of the Mississippi livestock industry, but their popularity is growing across the state. Interest has grown among 4-H livestock program members, people who participate in various other showmanship contests and people who want goat milk products.

Success Stories

A woman, smiling, holding a 4-H flag and 4-H trophy and standing in front of several 4-H plaques affixed to the wall.
4-H, 4-H Livestock Program, Youth Livestock, Join 4-H, Poultry, Family
Volume 9 Number 3

She grew up in the 4-H youth development program in Indiana, and her husband was in Ohio 4-H. Fast-forward a few years, and Inez Saum became a volunteer leader for Mississippi 4-H.

A man standing inside in front of the Southern AgCredit wordmark on a wall.
4-H, 4-H Livestock Program, Youth Livestock, Youth Poultry, Join 4-H, Poultry, Family
Volume 9 Number 2

The 4-H Poultry Chain Project regularly receives generous donations from organizations across the state, but the project has never received a donation quite like Southern AgCredit’s pledge of $25,000 over 5 years.

A sign with green text that reads, “To Make the Best BETTER” with 4-leaf clovers on either side.
4-H, 4-H Livestock Program, Youth Livestock
Volume 9 Number 2

The 2023 Dixie National Junior Round-Up, held annually in February at the Jackson fairgrounds, hosted 1,257 young people, including more than 1,000 4-H’ers, showing 2,153 head of livestock. Animals shown included beef and dairy cattle; meat, dairy, and Boer goats; hogs; and lambs. In addition, 4-H hosted its first-ever rabbit show.

An older man, a woman, and a teenage boy around a green tractor.
4-H, Youth Livestock, Corn, Farming, Livestock
Volume 1 Number 1

Four generations of 4-H’ers span the century 

Mississippi State University Extension celebrated its centennial in 2014. The organization has touched countless lives in the last 100 years, including four generations of 4-H’ers in one family

Four girls wearing cowboy hats and sashes at the 2019 Sale of Champions.
Youth Livestock
Volume 5 Number 2

For the 50th anniversary of the sale, the record-breaking total amount earned was $382,775. While the animals in the sale are impressive, the 4-H’ers are even more astounding.

Watch

Farmweek, Entire Show, Nov 13, 2015, #19
Thursday, November 12, 2015 - 6:00pm
Born For The Show Ring Feature
Thursday, June 25, 2015 - 7:00pm

Listen

Thursday, January 9, 2020 - 7:00am
Thursday, January 2, 2020 - 7:00am
Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 7:00am
Monday, September 30, 2019 - 7:00am
Thursday, September 26, 2019 - 7:00am

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Extension Professor
Portrait of Mr. Lance Newman
Regional Extension Coord