Animal Science

Animal Science projects provide opportunities for boys and girls to develop responsibility by regularly caring for birds or animals; develop patience and understanding by working with birds or animals; learn to feed and care for animals; learn animal health, nutrition, physiology, and reproduction; learn the important breeds, their characteristics, their uses, and how to identify them; understand marketing and the economic importance of the livestock industry; keep and use records.

For more detailed information check out the Oregon State 4-H Animal Science page.

Beef

This project provides a variety of experiences for the boy or girl. The type (market or breeding) of project will depend on the age, interest, home situation, and financial ability of the 4-H’er.

Dairy Cattle

The type of project will depend upon the age, interest, physical facilities, and financial ability of the member. The Dairy project also offers an opportunity for members to raise dairy replacement heifers and vealer calves. Some members may want to raise dairy steers.

Dogs

The dog project emphasizes the care and training of the family dog or puppy. Animals will be trained to obey basic obedience commands to become a more enjoyable member of the family.

Goats

The type of project depends on the age, interest, physical facilities, and financial ability of the member. Options within this project area include opportunities in Dairy Goats and/or Pygmy Goats. Members may also elect to undertake a breeding project and learn to evaluate and incorporate production records into the project.

Guinea Pigs (Cavies)

Members own and care for one or more guinea pigs. This is an excellent project for youth who live where they cannot keep larger animals. A 4-H member can learn about feeding, management, record keeping, and the project.

Horse and Ponies

The Horse and Pony projects provide an opportunity for boys and girls to develop into good horsemen and horsewomen while enjoying a horse. It also provides an opportunity for them to be associated with the growth, development, and training of a young horse or pony into a saddle horse or pony for work or pleasure.

Poultry

The Poultry project offers 4-H’ers an opportunity to work with a family flock, laying flock, broiler project, fancy or bantam breeds, ducks, geese, or turkeys.

Rabbits

Members own and care for a doe and her litters. This is an excellent project for younger 4-H’ers and those who live where they cannot keep larger animals. A 4-H member can learn more about feeding, management, breeding, record keeping, and marketing livestock in less time and with less money invested than with other projects. Breeding stock and feed are generally available. Suitable hutches are essential.

Sheep and Swine

The Sheep and Swine project provides a variety of experiences for the boy or girl. The type (market or breeding) of project will depend on the age, interest, home situation, and financial ability of the 4-H’er.

Veterinary Science

The Veterinary Science project offers boys and girls an opportunity to explore the field of animal science. The project is open to those who have completed the first steps of a 4-H Animal Science Advancement Program, or who are in the seventh grade or higher and have had some work with animals, or have completed a life science course in school.

Members need not own an animal, but must have one available to study temperature, pulse rate, respiration, and other exercises. The project has three divisions which should be taken in sequence. Each unit may take more than 1 year.

Unit 1-The Normal Animal

Unit 2-Animal Diseases

Unit 3-Animal Health and Our World

Group Determined Projects

The Oregon 4-H program includes the "group determined project" option. This mean 4-H members and their leader identify what they want to learn and make plans to learn it. The group determined project may expand upon an exiting project or investigate something not currently available through the OSU Extension Service.