The last two months, I wrote a series of observations on the "Six Pillars of Character: Trust-worthiness, Respect, Responsi-bility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship." Showing character through Alabama 4-H Animal Science Projects will give us some ideas how livestock can develop young men and women.

Responsibility

As a 4-H livestock exhibitor you are representing more than just yourself and your family when you exhibit livestock at a show. You are also representing the 4-H organization, the sponsoring show, and youth exhibitors as a whole.

Many people are counting on you to do your job well, to be a good role model, and to be a responsible exhibitor.

Being responsible is a phrase you may hear often - from your parents, your 4-H leaders, your teachers, and your extension staff. What does it really mean? A responsibility is a duty, an obligation, or a commitment to do something. So being responsible means being accountable for what we do and who we are and for carrying out our obligations and duties at all times. Being irresponsible means the opposite - you don’t carry out your duties, you cannot be relied upon to do what you say you will do, and you do things that you know are not right.

A livestock project takes many months of work. During that time there are many different ways to show that you are responsible. Which of the following actions demonstrate responsibility and which are ones that demonstrate irresponsibility?

1. Being truthful, honest and encouraging with other exhibitors who ask for your opinion in selecting animals.

2. Purchasing your animals and completing ownership affidavits by the appropriate date.

3. Intentionally giving other exhibitors incorrect or unethical information about animal care and handling.

4. Feeding your animals on schedule every day.

5. Using drugs on your animals that are not approved to be used on your species of animal.

6. Borrowing another member’s equipment without asking permission.

7. Being ready to enter the show ring when your class is called.

8. Participating with other club members in keeping your area of the barn clean and neat.

9. Complaining about the show judge.

10. Promptly writing thank you notes to award sponsors.

You should recognize statements 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, and 10 as responsible behavior. Statements 3, 5, 6, and 9 demonstrate irresponsible behavior.

At the beginning of a project, responsible members will work to develop their knowledge and skills about the desirable traits of their animals, and they will be honest and encouraging with other members who ask for advice. Responsible members will follow all ownership rules and deadlines.

Throughout a project, a major responsibility is feeding, watering and caring for the animals. Exhibitors will also need to spend more time and attention to train and groom the animals.

There are many responsibilities involved in preparing for and showing the animals, also. Some of these include:

· Keeping tools and equipment clean and organized, always asking permission to borrow equipment and returning borrowed equipment promptly and in good condition.

· Handling your animals in a way that does not interfere with other exhibitors.

· Following all show and 4-H rules about grooming animals.

· Avoiding put-downs, complaining and barn gossip. Following schedules and being prompt when called.

· Being active and helping other members maintain good herdsmanship in your area of the barn.

After the fair or show is completed, there are a couple of other things that responsible exhibitors will do. On of these is writing thank you notes to sponsors of awards and other people who have helped you with your project. Completing your record book is another responsible thing to do. By completing your record book, you are following a project through to the finish. Someday, that record book will also be fun to look at and to see how much you really have learned since you first started 4-H!

Here are a few additional questions for you to think about and discuss with your parents and 4-H leader:

This is your first year exhibiting a dairy heifer. How should you go about learning how to take care of your animal and prepare it for exhibiting?

You are 15 years old and have some experience in clipping and fitting your steers, but are not as good at it as you’d like to be. You think your calf might rank higher in the show if you could do a better job of fitting it. Another, slightly older, and very experienced person offers to do all your clipping and fitting for you. What would you do?

Your family is planning a vacation for the last week of June, so you will be away from home for 7 days, but you have 5 pigs that need to be taken care of while you are away. What is a responsible way to handle this situation?

A responsible exhibitor should know before beginning a project what the important dates are in regard to ownership. They should also plan ahead for entering projects at fairs, so that entry deadlines are not missed. What are the ownership deadlines for your projects? What are the entry deadlines for your county or regional events? For state events? Where do you find this information?