Future ag producers develop skill through 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl

The Lincoln County 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl team may be young, but these kids know a thing or two about animal husbandry. All four team members are 10 years old or younger and involved on their families’ farms or ranches in the North Platte area.

Team members include Caleb Allison, Kasen Cole, Cole Steffes and Westyn Wasserburger.

Being part of the 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl team is reinforcing real-life lessons to strengthen their understanding of livestock production to become advocates for the industry.

“Livestock Quiz Bowl encourages youth to actually learn about agriculture. They are learning the ‘why’ behind what they are doing for animal management,” said Caitlyn Jacobson, 4-H youth development extension educator for Lincoln, Logan and McPherson Counties.

The event is making a comeback in Lincoln County after many years without a team. Jacobson participated on the Lincoln County 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl team when she was a 4-H member in Lincoln County, but interest ceased sometime between when she aged out of 4-H about 15 years ago and when she took the position as extension educator in 2022. She is excited to be coaching the new team.

The group had a good experience when competing at the Dawson County Livestock Quiz Bowl competition May 30.

“The team of Caleb, Kasen, Cole and Westyn are forerunners in starting quiz bowl again,” said Jacobson.

Beginning in January, the team met biweekly to study every aspect of beef, swine, sheep and goats. They focused on one species before moving on to the next, learning about different breeds, digestive systems, potential structural deficiencies, nutrition, diseases, animal handling and tools used.

As Cole said, “We learned a lot about a lot of stuff.”

Livestock Quiz Bowl was Cole’s introduction into his first year of 4-H, but he is well-versed in agriculture. He helps his parents, Greg and Bree Steffes, on their operation raising cattle, corn, soybeans and alfalfa.

In addition to joining the Lincoln County 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl team, Cole attended the Animal Science Discovery Day at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska. Jacobson had encouraged the team to go to reinforce the information they had been studying and gain hands-on experience with livestock. The day truly was “hands-on.”

“I got to stick my hand in a cow’s stomach,” Cole said with excitement.

Kasen shared similar enthusiasm when talking about swine, which he said was the most interesting part of quiz bowl.

“There’s a lot to it,” said Kasen. “I learned how to give shots and have an understanding of the ear notch system.”

Swine was a completely new aspect of agriculture for him since his parents, Kelley and Stephanie Cole, raise cattle. Kasen has showed calves all three years that he has been in 4-H as a member of the Circle Hill 4-H Club.

Kasen helps on his family’s ranch by feeding the baby calves their bottles and giving them grain. Kasen said he wants to be a rancher when he grows up.

Livestock quiz bowl is an avenue for youth who are interested in agriculture to explore the industry. Jacobson said 4-H is preparing youth to return to our communities and advocate for agriculture, adding, “If we can get kids involved, they have a higher likelihood of coming back to be a farmer or rancher or do some other job related to agriculture when they become adults.”

Westyn would also like to be a rancher when he grows up. He said that quiz bowl made him learn about what his family does on the ranch.

“I’m more confident as a rancher and have a better understanding about words that my parents talk about when handling cattle,” said Westyn. He is the son of Trey and Dayna Wasserburger.

A three-year member of the Circle Hill 4-H Club, Westyn has shown pigs every year at the fair. This year, he is adding horse and beef cattle to his show schedule.

Westyn said that he really likes showing pigs. Even with three years of experience in the showring, he has learned a lot about swine from the quiz bowl study sessions.

“Quiz bowl is helping me know about my 4-H pigs and my showmanship when I show pigs,” said Westyn.

The four Lincoln County 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl teammates are gaining knowledge and experience that will be invaluable in their future as livestock producers. Jacobson is hopeful they will share these insights with others.

“The more the youth know the ‘why’ behind what they do, they can better articulate that to people who may not be educated about agriculture,” said Jacobson. “We are giving them the tools to be able to educate and advocate for agriculture.”