Texas Youth Livestock and Agriculture

Day 2 of the TAMUK Short Course was filled with valuable experiences and opportunities to expand our knowledge of the agriculture industry.

We began the day at the Beeville Livestock Commission, then tested our understanding of agricultural advocacy and discussed current industry issues. We learned about sheep and goat production in Live Oak County, explored reproductive technologies at the Beeville Research Center, and concluded the day with etiquette training at Twisted Ranch Events.

Yesterday we kicked off day one of the TAMUK Livestock Ambassador Short Course running full speed. The group toured the legendary King Ranch, participated in carcass demonstrations at the TAMUK Meat Lab, and wrapped up the evening by grilling their own steaks with the Texas Beef Council during Grilling
101. Thank you to our sponsor, GKB Cattle, for making experiences like this possible.

We wrapped up the 2026 Texas 4-H Equine Short Course today! The morning began with one of our incredible sponsors, Capital Farm Credit, who led an engaging session on financial literacy and the importance of smart financial decision-making. Participants then learned about building a positive media presence, including key dos and don'ts for representing themselves and the equine industry. We closed out the day with a discussion on what it takes to be a successful Texas 4-H Equine Ambassador.

A huge thank you to sponsors like the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo for giving these kids a once in a lifetime opportunity!

Day three kicked off with a visit to Sam Houston Race Park, where we toured the facilities and got an inside look at the many moving parts behind the horse racing industry. From there, we traveled to J Plus Ranches to learn more about the cutting horse industry. We wrapped up the day with a presentation from Craig Huffhines, Director of the Texas A&M Institute for Equine Science.

While New World Screwworm does pose a risk to youth livestock projects, education and consistent care can help you keep your projects safe. Here's a few tips for caring for your cattle, sheep, or goat projects. Stay aware with the following links:

🍀Find fact sheets regarding validation at...
https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/goats/
https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/sheep/
https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/beef-cattle/

🍀Find general New World Screwworm education and updates at...
https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/new-world-screwworm

We started day two of our Texas 4-H Equine Short Course at South Texas Tack! Students were able to get a behind the scenes look at what goes into the operation including saddle fitting and how to shape a hat as well as the marketing side of the store! From there we spent the afternoon with the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine where we received a tour of their large animal hospital. We finished our day with an informative etiquette dinner!

Thank you to sponsors like H-E-B who make these experiences possible!

We started our summer off with day one of the Texas 4-H Equine Short Course! Students spent the day hearing about the equine industry, practicing elevator pitches, and learning about equine reproduction and nutrition. We ended the day with a fun night of mini golf!

We loved seeing all of our Texas 4-H Ambassadors at Roundup this year! Congratulations to everyone on your success!!!

Who’s ready for the 2026 Texas 4-H Roundup?! Ambassadors be sure to send us any photos of you competing! We would love to highlight your success on our page!