| Requirement | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Name two breeds of livestock in each of the following classifications: horses, dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, hogs, poultry, and goats. Tell their principal uses and merits. Tell where the breeds originated. | ||||||||
| 2. List two diseases that afflict the animals in each of the classifications in requirement 1. Describe the symptoms of each disease and explain how each is contracted and how it could be prevented. | ||||||||
| 3. Draw models of the digestive tracts of ruminants, horses, pigs, and poultry. Explain how the differences in structure and function among these types of digestive tracts affect the nutritional management of these species. | ||||||||
| 4. Select one type of animal-beef cow, dairy cow, horse, sheep, goat, or hog, or a poultry flock-and tell how you would properly manage it. Include in your discussion nutritional (feeding) concerns, housing, disease prevention, waste control/removal, breeding programs, and biosecurity as appropriate. | ||||||||
| 5. Do the following: | ||||||||
| a. Explain how agricultural producers make desired improvements to their stock through breeding practices and programs. | ||||||||
| b. Explain the terms pure breeding and cross breeding. | ||||||||
| c. List two modern technologies used in the production of horses, dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, hogs, poultry, or goats. and tell what the advantages are of using the technology. | ||||||||
| 6. For requirement 6, Scouts must complete ONE of the options (beef cattle, dairying, horse, sheep or goat, hog, or avian). | ||||||||
| Sheep or Goat Option | ||||||||
| (a) Make a sketch of a live lamb or goat. Show the location of the various wholesale and retail cuts. | ||||||||
| (b) Discuss how wools are sorted and graded. | ||||||||
| (c) List products that can be made from the milk. | ||||||||
| (d) Based on your choice, do ONE of the following: | ||||||||
| (1) Raise a lamb or goat from weaning to market weight. Keep records of feed intake, weight gains, medication, vaccination, and mortality. Present your records to your counselor for review. | ||||||||
| (2) Visit a farm or ranch where sheep or goats are raised. Describe what you saw and explain what you learned. If you cannot visit a sheep or goat farm or ranch, view a video from a breed association, or research the Internet (with your parent’s permission) for information on sheep or goats. Tell about your findings. | ||||||||
| (e) Define the following terms for a sheep (wether, ewe, ram, lamb) OR a goat (doe, nanny, kid, buck, billy). | ||||||||
| 7. Find out about three career opportunities in animal science. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you. | ||||||||
| Animal Science merit badge completed | ||||||||
| Animal Science merit badge presented |
For answers and free resources, see https://scoutermom.com/24930/animal-science-merit-badge/