AMES, Iowa — Iowa State University Extension and Outreach held four livestock skillathon contests at the Iowa State Fair this year, with 189 youth from 52 Iowa counties participating. The dairy skillathon was held on Aug. 13, swine and sheep skillathons took place on Aug. 15, and a meat goat skillathon was held on Aug. 18.
Each skillathon team was comprised of two or three individuals and included five stations where youth worked together to solve problems and identify dairy cattle, goat, swine or sheep production components. Participants identified feed samples, breeds and meat cuts while also answering questions about genetics, nutrients, quality assurance, handling and biosecurity.
“One of the main goals of the skillathon is to teach youth life skills like decision making, critical thinking and communication, as well as animal husbandry and the science and math involved with raising an animal,” said Amy Powell, animal science education specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.
All participants received a T-shirt and the top five teams were recognized in each specie. Awards for the swine skillathon were sponsored by the Iowa Pork Producers Association. The dairy skillathon was sponsored by the Iowa 4-H Dairy Endowment. The sheep and goat skillathons were sponsored by Premier 1 Supplies.
“Special thanks to the 51 volunteers from the ISU Department of Animal Science, Iowa Pork Producers and 4-H who served as station facilitators,” Powell said.
2021 skillathon winners
Dairy Cattle
- Kiele Eberling, Keagan Palmer, Sophia Palmer, all from Allamakee County.
- Adam Scott, Fayette County; Ethan Palmer, Allamakee County.
- Cooper Barber, Clinton County; Deleaney Barber, Clinton County; Olivia Hansen, Benton County.
- Kalli Barber, Clinton County; Jill Hansen, Benton County; Charlie Rowe, Dallas County.
- Carter Eilers, Linn County; Madison Sickles, Iowa County; Sydney Sparks, Jones County.
Swine
- Tucker Rohrig, Adair County; Kiley Allan, Brady Allan, Plymouth County.
- Jackson Sterle, Story County; Kane Boyle, Crawford County; Zoe Reffitt, Harrison County.
- Sterger Mauson, Benton County; Reagan Gibson, Guthrie County; Taylor Rohrig, Adair County.
- Sage Voegele, Lyon County; Caleigh Lewis, Butler County; Alison Mehmen, Benton County.
- Sadie Fredrick, Warren County; Lane McGraw, Warren County; Ivan Greif, Clarke County.
Sheep
- Jackson Sterle, Nathan Faga, Wyatt Toot, all from Story County.
- Elly Holubar, Johnson County; Libby Dix, Linn County; Andrew Dix, Linn County.
- Joslyn Foxen, Fisher Paulsen, Sutten Paulsen, all from Black Hawk County.
- Hayden Lowry, Jasper County; Luci Kucera, Jasper County; Maddie Kucera, Tama County.
- Shannon Melody, Calhoun County; Aiden Melody, Calhoun County; Keely Kehrli, Buchanan County.
Meat Goat
- Alicia Cumberland, Zane Smith, Audrey Smith, Van Buren County.
- Reagan Decious, Karlie Pettyjohn, Marion County.
- Wade Fisher, Jule Fisher, Plymouth County.
- Jackson Sterle, Story County; Tucker Rohrig, Adair County; Taylor Rohrig, Adair County.
- Grace Curtis, Greene County; Gabby Stewart, Webster County; Maggie Reed, Greene County.
For more information on livestock skillathons, please contact Amy Powell at ampowell@iastate.edu.
— Valyn Bodensteiner and Amy Powell, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
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