BranchCounty Extension
Courthouse Annex, 23 E. Pearl StColdwater, MI49036-1990 /
P: 517-279-4311 F: 517-278-5064
/ E-mail:Web:
September 2005
Young people learn about careers, animals at Michigan 4-H Livestock Camp
Two livestock camp participants use the skills they learned to fit a lamb for show.
BranchCounty was full of activity as 215 youths and 93 chaperones from 26 Michigan counties met on the fairgrounds for the Michigan 4-H Livestock Camp.
They learned about handling, care, management and exhibiting 13 animal specie, including sheep, swine, beef, dairy, dogs, feeder calves, goats, poultry, horses, draft horses, llamas and rabbits.
Camp participants spent three days learning from MSU Extension staff members and other resource people from around Michigan about veterinary care of their animals, good nutrition, potential markets, career opportunities and fitting and showing techniques. / Eight of the thirteen sessions took participants off site to area commercial producers, a felting business, and the MichiganStateUniversity campus.
The camp is held annually with assistance from the Michigan Department of Agriculture, theMichigan FFA Foundation’s Glassbrook Endowment, the BranchCounty 4-H Fair Board, the Branch County Community Foundation, MSU Extension and countless volunteers from across the state.
Michigan 4-H members host Californiadelegation
A dozenCalifornia 4-H members and three adults traveled to BranchCounty in June to spend time with their Michigan counterparts and learn about Michigan 4-H and the state of Michigan.
Members toured two local agriculture industries including Great Lakes Gladiola Farms and Souva’s Farms/Great Lakes Sire Services. The group also toured Michigan, visiting the Lake Michigan sand dunes and Mackinac Island. A Michigan delegation will travel back to California next summer.
/ Michigan State University Extension helps people improve their lives through an educational process that applies knowledge to critical issues, needs and opportunities. Offices in counties across the state link the research of the land-grant university, MSU, to challenges facingcommunities. Citizens serving on countyExtension councils regularly help select focus areas for programming. MSU Extension is funded jointly by county boards of commissioners,the state through MichiganStateUniversity and federally through the US Department of Agriculture.
Riders, volunteers learn during disabled riding program day camp
A participant takes direction from an instructor during the Proud Equestrian Partners day camp program.
Twenty four special needs children participated in a day camp with assistance from more than 40 BranchCounty4-H volunteers.
The week-long program, held in cooperation with the BranchIntermediateSchool District, gave young campers an experience that included the opportunity to learn to ride and care for horses.
Several of the riders with physical disabilities received valuable therapy while riding the horses.
Volunteers, many of whom were 4-H leaders and members, reported learning about disabilities and how to work with disabled youthsby taking part in Proud Equestrian Partners (PEP) program activities.
At least two past Branch County PEP volunteers have chosen careers in teaching or physical therapy partially as a result of this program. / Producers improve management practices at Southwest Michigan Calf
CareSchool
Calf health is an important issue for dairy farmers, as the future of their herds depends on raising, breeding and milking strong stock.
To help producers improve their calves health and lower mortality rates, MSU Extension offered a calf care school.
A recent component of the program focused on caring for newborn calf was held at MSU’s Kellogg Biological Station (KBS), near Hickory Corners,Mich.
KBS dairy manager Rob Ashleydiscussed calf care strategies, nutrition programs, colostrum management and housing newborn calves.
Class participants also had hands-on learning sessions that included proper techniques for giving shots, using an esophageal feeder, proper calf delivery techniques and grading colostrum based on quality.
As a result of the seminar nearly all (95 percent) of the participants indicated that they felt their knowledge of new born calf care was considerably improved. Eighty five percent indicated that they would implement colostrum management plans on their farms, and 80 percent planned to set up maturity pens on their farms.
Nearly all (95 percent) participants indicated that they would introduce dry feed and water in the first few days after birth instead above waiting to two three weeks after birth as they had traditionally done.
Two producers also indicated they would build transition calf housing facilities on their farms as Ashley discussed during his presentation.
MSU is an affirmative-action, equal opportunity institution, Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, or family status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Thomas G. Coon, Extension Director, MichiganStateUniversity, E. Lansing, MI48824