PSI-23 An inaugural animal welfare judging contest for Nebraska 4-H.

Abstract Competitive opportunities such as livestock judging, dairy judging, and horse judging (to name a few) are available to college students and youth involved in 4-H and the National Future Farmers of America Organization (FFA). Judging offers opportunities to network and expand knowledge, critical thinking and communication skills, and encourages leadership. Participation in 4-H and FFA judging allows youth to gain experience prior to college and may increase their familiarity with collegiate judging opportunities. While livestock judging has occurred for more than 100 years, animal welfare judging began at the collegiate level much more recently (2002) and is not currently available as a national 4-H or FFA contest. To provide Nebraska youth with greater exposure to animal welfare judging and better prepare them for competitive collegiate opportunities, an inaugural 4-H Animal Welfare Judging contest was held in 2024 and included the following divisions: Intermediate (11-13 years) and Senior (14-18 years). A total of 19 youth from six counties participated in the contest; three teams competed in the Senior division and four individuals competed in the Intermediate division. Youth evaluated welfare of animals in a hypothetical scenario and were required to rank one facility over the other based on their assessment of animal welfare criteria at each. They answered questions designed to assess justification for their evaluation and conceptual knowledge about the focus species. Of 15 participants in the Senior division, two (13%) answered >90% of questions correctly and 10 (60%) answered ≥80% of questions correctly. In the intermediate division, three (75%) of participants answered ≥90% of questions correctly; one participant answered all questions correctly. Participation in the 4-H Animal Welfare Judging contest provides Nebraska youth exposure to concepts necessary to be competitive in collegiate Animal Welfare Judging.