4-H students shine at the Union County fair

EL DORADO, Ar. (KNOE) - 4-H students around Union county have been preparing their animals for the Union county fair.

From 5 years old and up, students raise chickens, pigs, cattle, and other livestock to show at these events. 4-H extension agent Bethany Gammill said students learn a lot while getting their livestock ready for the show.

”These animals teach these kids so much, they learn how to persevere,” Gammill said. “They will cry with these animals, they’ll celebrate with them like last night when they won. And at the end of the week, they get a check from them for working so hard the past year with them.”

One 4-H student, Elizabeth Dison, said she has learned a lot that will help her in life.

“I’ve learned responsibility, time management, being able to feed animals on time, how to care for animals,” said Dison.

It is her last year in the program, but many continue on a path through college that leads to a career in agriculture.

“They took a test in class a few weeks ago, and it told him he needed to be a farm manager. So he would just run a cattle operation for a family and they would pay him to do it, " said Gammill. “The State Fair actually partners with Southern Arkansas University and they usually give a certain amount of scholarships to each winner.“

Dison said there is more to 4-h than animals that are helpful life skills.

“There’s a whole bunch of other different activities you can do in 4-H other than just animals. And it gives you something to do, " said Dison.

Ultimately the livestock is sold, sometimes at a high price, at $35 per lb for a prize-winning cow, they can weigh upwards of 1,400lbs a total of $49,000 for a single cow.

“Our kids are raising the meat that you’re gonna get at Walmart,“ said Gammill.

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