Putting Science Into Animal Science Projects (Page 4 of 6) in pdf

and a maximum weight, and animals eligible to be sold for human consumption must be between those

minimum and maximum weights.

Knowing that target weight, members can calculate how much weight their animal needs to gain before

going to market, and can then use their Average Daily Gain information to compare and contrast to

determine if the animal is gaining adequately.

ROCKY, Market Steer

For Rocky, a market steer, the weight of the animal as a finished product must be as least 1200 pounds.

If the animal is 600 pounds on January 1 when the member gets the animal, help the members

determine how much weight the animal should gain to be at least 1200 pounds by September 10.

Answer: Rocky must gain at least 600 pounds. From January 1 to Sept 10 there are 252 days for growth,

so dividing that 600 pounds to be gained by the 252 days for growth, would determine that Rocky would

need to have an Average Daily Gain of about 2.4 pounds.

TANGO, Beef Feeder

Help the members work through a second example. For beef feeders, the recommended ending weight

is 550 pounds. A 4-H member named Amanda is taking the beef feeder project and she gets her animal

on February 20 and at that time, it weighs 80 pounds. The county fair is September 10 at which time

Tango should ideally be about 550 pounds. What is the ideal Average Daily Gain for Tango?

Answer: Weight to be gained: 550 goal weight – 80 pounds on February 20 = 470 pounds to be gained.

February 20 to Sept 10 is 202 days for growth, so dividing 470 pounds to be gained by 202 days for

growth would determine that Tango would need to have an Average Daily Gain of 2.3 pounds.

Once the members understand the concept of the ideal average daily gain, then help them compare

their animal’s actual growth rate with its ideal growth rate. If the animal is gaining too slowly, help the

member discover what they might do to help their animal gain weight more quickly. Likewise, if their

animal is gaining too quickly, help them discover what they might to do slow their animal’s growth rate.

How else might this kind of information be used to help members discover successful animal

production? For the eager members, consider suggesting they study different feeds, and the nutritional

difference within those feeds. With that information, and knowing their animal’s tendency to gain

weight either too quickly or too slowly, how might they manage the nutrition of their animal to keep

focused on the Target Weight for that type of animal?

Conclusion

By completing this activity, 4-H members have been able to explore some concepts of science. They

have asked questions, answered questions, gained some factual knowledge, and have hopefully been

Prepared by Bonnie Malone, Extension Educator 4-H, Huron County, Ohio and Vicki Schwartz, Associate State Leader, Ohio 4-H.

Putting Science Into Animal Science Projects Page 4