Decatur County’s 4-H junior livestock judging team captured sixth place at the state 4-H Livestock Judging Contest held at the UGA Animal and Dairy Science Instructional Arena in Athens on March 27.

Team members were Heath Parker, Bo Bailey, Chelsea Lynn, Presley Manley and Griffin Long.

Lynn and Manley tied for third-place honors in judging lambs.

Lynn was also ninth overall high junior individual.

At the state competition, the 4-H’ers matched judging skills against other teams from across the state. The students judged three classes of beef cattle, three classes of swine and two classes of lambs.

Each class contained four animals and each team member placed them according to the proper characteristics of breeding or market animals.

To support their decisions, each member gave oral reasons for their placement of the animals for two classes. Students also answered a set of questions based on their observations for a class of market hogs.

Prior to the state competition, the 4-H livestock judging team won first-place honors at the district competition held in Tifton, Ga. 4-H’ers have been practicing diligently since November in preparation for the contest.

Throughout their participation in livestock judging, these youth have practiced important life skills including goal setting, decision making, communication, teamwork, contribution to group effort, self motivation, critical thinking, problem solving, planning, organizing, keeping records and cooperation.

4-H is the youth program of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

For more information, call the UGA Cooperative Extension Service at 248-3033 or visit Georgia 4-H on the web at www.georgia4h.org.