Sheep Project

What is it All About?

The sheep project introduces you to a wide variety of fun and challenging activities including identifying parts of a sheep, selecting a project lamb, preparing for lambing season, identification of lamb meat products and feeding and showing sheep.

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Grow in Your Project

Beginner

Identify different breeds
Locate and name parts of sheep
Learn about sheep health and proper care
Learn what you need to show your animals
Develop a management plan

Intermediate

Learn about lamb yield grades
Judge and present your sheep
Understand the digestive process
Read a feed tag to recognize nutrients needed for sheep
Learn breeding and reproduction best practices

Advanced

Use engineering principles to design your own air- and space-crafts
Construct an altitude tracker
Learn pilot certification requirements
Learn about airport issues in across Wisconsin

Click Here for Sheep Project Member Resources

Resources for All Levels

Wisconsin Youth Livestock Program

Click Here for Sheep Project Leader Resources

Project Leader Resources

Sheep Helper’s Guide (06370)*

Take Your Project Further!

Tour a sheep farm
Attend a sheep show and observe the judges and their techniques
Design a business plan to market lamb meat directly to retailers, restaurants or private customers
Write an educational article about some aspect of sheep production for your local newspaper
Plan or participate in a sheep skill-a-thon
Organize a sheep showmanship contest
Attend a national conference
Job shadow a local veterinarian to learn about animal health
Learn about the different uses for sheep
Research sheep by-product
Be part of your county Livestock Judging team and participate in the State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest
Participate in the Livestock skill-a-thon
Participate in the State 4-H Wool Judging Contest
Participate in the State 4-H Meat Judging Contest

Applying Project Skills to Life

Enhance Your Communication Skills

Design a poster on parts of the sheep and present this topic to others
Participate in a judging contest giving oral reasons
Give a shearing demonstration

Get Involved in Citizenship and Service

Volunteer your lamb for a community petting zoo
Develop a recipe book of lamb recipes too share at local grocery stores
Do a food taste testing at a local grocery store

Learn about Leadership

Lead a demonstration with your lamb at a local elementary class
Teach others how to safely handle sheep
Recruit younger members to join the sheep project

Showing What You’ve Learned

Show your lamb at the fair
Poster on the nutritive value of lamb
Display of meat cuts and proper preparation
Poster on feeding rations
Poste on preventative vaccinations
Notebook of photos of different breeds
Presentation on developing a breeding herd
Best care techniques for newborns
Medical show kit
Poster on understanding carcass grading in lamb carcasses
Video on how to train your lamb to lead
Display of proper exercising techniques
Poster of feed additives
Make a blanket or tube for your sheep
Make a sheep fitting stand

Adapted with permission from Wyoming State 4-H, Project Information Sheet, Sheep. Retrieved from: https://www.uwyo.edu/4-h/projects/animal-science/sheep.html.

*Resources available at your local Extension office or shop4-H.org.

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