“In order to develop self-confidence, youth need to feel and believe they are capable, and they must experience success at solving problems and meeting challenges.  By exploring 4-H projects and activities, youth master skills to make positive career and life choices.  Additionally, youth need to have a safe environment for making mistakes and getting feedback, not just through competition, but also as an ongoing element of participation.  Finally, youth need the breadth and depth of topics that allow them to purse their own interests” (Kress, 2004).  Cathann Kress, former Director of Youth Development at National 4-H Headquarters, CSREES, USDA, identified four key concepts of youth development programs as belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity.   The Daviess County 4-H Feeder Calf Project offers participants the opportunity to build upon several of the key concepts considered necessary for positive youth development.  Mastery, the building of knowledge, skills and attitudes and the demonstration of the competent use of the knowledge and skill by a proficient practitioner stand at the forefront of these key concepts.   

The Daviess County 4-H Feeder Calf Program is a 22 year collaboration between Daviess County 4-H, the Daviess County Cattlemen’s Association, and the Farm Service Agency.   In a nutshell the project involves youth purchasing one or two feeder calves in early April.    The Farm Service Agency works with participants to provide low interest, short-term loans for the project.   Participants are responsible for feeding, handling, and general care of the animal(s) through project completion in August when the calves are sold at the Green River Area CPH Sale.  Most calves are halter broken and shown in a special class at the county fair.  In addition, participants must keep detailed records, pay back their loan, and submit a record book at the conclusion of the project.  Those record books are evaluated, and awards are given based on the information submitted. 

A former feeder calf participants father stopped by the office recently to share how his now college student daughter is majoring in animal science and has spent her last two summers interning at two different, very large dairy farms in the Eastern United States.  She loves cows and has started her own small cow herd which includes some of her project heifers.  He stated that it all started with the feeder calf project.