Animal Science Merit Badge

Overview

Cattle, horses, sheep, goats, hogs, poultry, and other domesticated animals are important to people for many reasons. They supply us with food and clothing, we use them for recreational purposes, they work with and for us.

Requirements

(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.

Resources: Different Types of Cattle Breeds Every Farmer Should Know (video), Ten Popular Horse Breeds (video), Top 5 Best Sheep Breeds for Meat, Wool and Milk Production (video), The 15 Best Pig Breeds for Your Farm (video), 5 Types of Chickens You Should Know About (video), Top 10 Best Goat Breeds for Milk & Meat Production (video)
(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.

Resources: Common Cattle Diseases: Treatment and Prevention (video), Health Problems in Horses (video), 20 Diseases of Goats and Sheep You Need to Know (video), Hidden Truth About Common Diseases of Pigs (video), Unveiling the Dark Secrets of Common Poultry Diseases (video)
(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.

Resources: Digestion in Grass Eating Animals (video), The Horse’s Digestive System (video), Types of Livestock Digestive Systems (video)
(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.

Resources: Raising Dexter Cattle for Beef: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know (video), How To Raise a Dairy Cow: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners! (video), How To Raise Sheep for Beginners on 2.5 Acres or Less (video), Raising Goats 101 (video), An Introduction to Raising Pigs on Pasture (video), 10 Things To Know Before You Buy Backyard Chickens (video)
(5) Do the following:
- (a) Explain how agricultural producers make desired improvements to their stock through breeding practices and programs.
  
  Resources: How to Breed a Better Chicken (video)
- (b) Explain the terms pure breeding and cross breeding.
  
  Resources: How Crossbreeding Works—How to Move From Hybrid Goats to Pure Pedigree Lines in Goat Farming (video)
- (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.
  
  Resources: Using Nuclear Science to Improve Animal Breeding (video), Improving Health & Fertility for Each Cow With MooMonitor+ (video), From Satellites to Sound: Practical AI Tools for Dairy and Poultry Farming (video)
(6) Complete ONE of the following options:
- Option A—Beef Cattle. Do ALL of the following:
  - (1) Visit a farm or ranch where beef cattle are produced under any of these systems: feeding market cattle for harvest, cow/calf operation (producing cattle for sale to commercial feeders), or producing purebred cattle for sale as breeding stock to others. Talk with the operator to learn how the cattle were handled, fed, weighed, and shipped. Describe what you saw and explain what you learned. If you cannot visit a cattle ranch or farm, view a video from a breed association, or research the internet (with your parent or guardian’s permission) for information on beef cattle production. Tell about your findings.
    
    Resources: A Tour of Our Cattle Ranch - 20,000+ Head of Cattle per Year (video)
  - (2) Sketch a plan of a feedlot to include its forage and grain storage facilities, and loading chute for 30 or more fattening steers; or sketch a corral plan with cutting and loading chutes for handling 50 or more beef cows and their calves at one time.
    
    Resources: Planning and Designing Cattle Feedlots (PDF), Corral and Working Facilities for Beef Cattle (PDF)
  - (3) Make a sketch showing the principal wholesale and retail cuts of beef. Tell about the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) dual grading system of beef. Tell the basis of each grade in each system.
    
    Resources: Basic Meat Cuts & Grades (video), Types of Beef Cuts (website), Beef Wholesale and Retail Cuts (PDF)
  - (4) Define the following terms: bull, steer, bullock, cow, heifer, freemartin, heiferette, and calf.
    
    Resources: What’s the Difference Between a Steer vs. Bull? Cow vs. Heifer? (video), How to Tell If Cattle Are Cows, Bulls, Heifers, or Steers (website)
- Option B—Dairy. Do ALL of the following:
  - (1) Tell how a cow or a goat converts forage and grain into milk. Explain the differences in feeds typically used for dairy cows versus those fed to beef cows.
    
    Resources: How Cows Create Milk—3D Animated Tour (video), What Cows Eat To Produce Milk (video), How To Feed a Beef Cow (Corn vs Hay) (video)
  - (2) Make a chart showing the components in cow’s milk or goat’s milk. Chart the amount of each component.
    
    Resources: Milk Components Chart (PDF), Milk 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Effects (website), Goat’s Milk: Is This the Right Milk for You? (website)
  - (3) Explain the requirements for producing grade A milk. Tell how and why milk is pasteurized.
    
    Resources: What Is Pasteurization? (video)
  - (4) Tell about the kinds of equipment used for milking and the sanitation standards that must be met on dairy farms.
    
    Resources: How Are Cows Actually Milked? Explained by a Dairy Veterinarian (video)
  - (5) Define the following terms: bull, cow, steer, heifer, springer, buck, doe, and kid.
    
    Resources: Goat Terminology (website)
  - (6) Visit a dairy farm or a milk processing plant. Describe what you saw and explain what you learned. If you cannot visit a dairy farm or processing plant, view a video from a breed or dairy association, or research the internet (with your parent or guardian’s permission) for information on dairying. Tell about your findings.
    
    Resources: Guided Barn Tour! Modern Dairy Farm Tour (Part 1) (video), Robotic Dairy Barn Tour (Part 2)—The One You’ve Been Asking For (video), How They Process Milk In Factory With Modern Food Processing Technology | How It’s Made (video)
- Option C—Horse. Do ALL of the following:
  - (1) Make a sketch of a useful saddle horse barn and exercise yard.
  - (2) Tell about the history of the horse and the benefits it has brought to people. Using the four breeds of horses you chose in requirement 1, discuss the different special uses of each breed.
    
    Resources: How Horses Went From Food to Friends (video), How Horses Took Over North America (Twice) (video), Where Did Domesticated Horses Come From? (video)
  - (3) Define the following terms: mare, stallion, gelding, foal, colt, filly; mustang, quarter horse, draft horse, pacer, trotter; pinto, calico, palomino, roan, overo, and tobiano.
    
    Resources: What’s the Difference Between a Mare, Stallion, Gelding, Colt, and a Pony? (video), Understanding Common Horse Terms (video), 10 Facts About Mustang Horses That Make Them So Special (website), Draft Horse vs Quarter Horse: Comprehensive Comparison Guide (website), The Different Coat Patterns Found in Horses & How to Identify Them (website)
  - (4) Visit a horse farm. Describe what you saw and explain what you learned. If you cannot visit a horse farm, view a video from a breed association, or research the internet (with your parent or guardian’s permission) for information on horses. Tell about your findings.
    
    Resources: Inside Claiborne Farm—Home of Secretariat & Racing Legends (video)
  - (5) Outline the proper feeding of a horse doing light work. Explain why the amount and kind of feed will change according to the kind of horse and the work it does. Describe what colic is, what can cause it, and its symptoms.
    
    Resources: The 7 Golden Rules of Feeding Horses (video), Colic in Horses: Horse Vet Explains What Owners Should Know (video)
- Option D—Sheep or Goat. Choose one and do ALL of the following based upon the choice:
  - (1) Make a sketch of a live lamb or goat. Show the location of the various wholesale and retail cuts.
    
    Resources: Lamb & Goat Cuts (video), Types of Lamb Cuts (website)
  - (2) Discuss how wools are sorted and graded.
    
    Resources: Mid States Wool: Grading Process (video), British Wool—Wool Grading and Selling at Auction (video)
  - (3) List products that can be made from the milk.
    
    Resources: Dairy Products List: 50+ Dairy Foods (What Counts As Dairy?) (website)
  - (4) Based on your choice, do ONE of the following:
    - (a) 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.
      
      Resources: Illustrated Guide to Sheep and Goat Production (PDF), Lamb or Goat Record Book (PDF), Goat Record Book (PDF), Sheep Record Book (PDF)
    - (b) 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 or guardian’s permission) for information on sheep or goats. Tell about your findings.
      
      Resources: Redwood Hill Goat Farm: The Land of Happy Goats! (video), Flax Family Farms—Utica Kansas (video), 1000 Sheep: Expert Farmer Interview and Farm Tour of Slatted Shed, Handling System and Sheep (video)
  - (5) Define the following terms for a sheep (wether, ewe, ram, and lamb) OR a goat (doe, nanny, kid, buck, and billy).
    
    Resources: Sheep Terminology (website), Goat Terminology (website)
- Option E—Hog. Do ALL of the following:
  - (1) Make a sketch showing the principal wholesale and retail cuts of pork. Tell about the recommended USDA grades of pork. Tell the basis for each grade.
    
    Resources: Retail Cuts of Pork (PDF), Types of Pork Cuts (website)
  - (2) Outline in writing the proper feeding programs used from the breeding of a gilt or sow through the weaning of the litter. Discuss the feeding programs for the growth and finishing periods.
    
    Resources: Swine Nutrition Guide (website), Feeding Kunekunes (website)
  - (3) Do ONE of the following:
    - (a) Raise a feeder pig from weaning to market weight. Keep records of feed intake, weight gains, medication, vaccination, and mortality. Present your records to your counselor for review.
      
      Resources: Pig Project Record Book (PDF)
    - (b) Visit a farm where hogs are produced, or visit a packing plant handling hogs. Describe what you saw and explain what you learned. If you cannot visit a hog production unit or packing plant, view a video from a packer or processor, or research the internet (with your parent or guardian’s permission) for information on hogs. Tell about your findings.
      
      Resources: The Industrial Meat Machine: How Thousands of Pigs Are Processed Daily (video)
  - (4) Define the following terms: gilt, sow, barrow, and boar.
    
    Resources: Pigtionary (PDF)
- Option F—Avian. Do ALL of the following:
  - (1) Make a sketch of a layer house or broiler house showing nests, roosts, feeders, waterers, and means of ventilation. Explain how insulation, ventilation, temperature controls, automatic lights, and other environmental controls are used to protect birds from heat, cold, and bad weather. Explain the importance of light for egg production.
    
    Resources: Designing Layer Houses: Buildings, Dimensions, and Cage Arrangements (website), Guidelines for Constructing a Broiler House: Area, Dimensions, and Construction Tips (website)
  - (2) Explain why overcrowding is dangerous for poultry flocks.
    
    Resources: The #1 Mistake Chicken Keepers Make (video)
  - (3) Tell about the grading of eggs. Describe the classes of chicken meat.
    
    Resources: The Difference Between Grade AA, A, and B Eggs (video), A Guide to U.S. Graded Chicken (website)
  - (4) Do ONE of the following:
    - (a) Manage an egg-producing flock for five months. Keep records of feed purchased, eggs sold, medication, vaccination, and mortality. Present your records to your counselor for review.
      
      Resources: Egg Producing Record Book (Fillable) (PDF)
    - (b) Raise five chickens from hatching. Keep records of feed intake, weight gains, medication, vaccination, and mortality. Present your records to your counselor for review.
      
      Resources: Chicken Growth Record Book (PDF)
    - (c) Visit a commercial avian production facility. Describe what you saw and explain what you learned. If you cannot visit a commercial facility, view a video from a poultry association, or research the internet (with your parent or guardian’s permission) for information on poultry production. Tell about your findings.
      
      Resources: Inside the Chicken Factory: Processing Millions of Chickens for Meat (video)
  - (5) Define the following terms: chick, pullet, hen, cockerel, cock, and capon.
    
    Resources: Chick-Tionary (website / video)
(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.

Resources: Beef Industry—Careers in Animal Sciences (video), Dairy Industry—Careers in Animal Sciences (video), Dr. Shannon Pratt Phillips, Department of Animal Science (video), Swine Industry—Careers in Animal Sciences (video), Poultry Industry—Careers in Animal Sciences (video), NC State Veterinary Medicine | Extraordinary Opportunity (video), 10 Rewarding Careers Working With Horses (video), 30 Jobs for Animal Science Majors (Taming the Job Jungle) (website)

Resources

Note: This is an unofficial archive of Scouts BSA Merit Badges that was automatically extracted from the Scouting America website and may contain errors.