Animal Care: Tips for communicating with the public

Learning About Animal Care

Youth livestock exhibitors should be aware that the public will develop opinions about production agriculture based on what they see, hear and perceive at livestock shows, fairs and exhibitions. With a smart phone it only takes seconds for someone to capture the interaction between you and your animal. Remember the practices that are used to prepare and show animals may be all the public ever sees as livestock production, so it is important to set a good example and not let a moment of poor judgment go viral.

Youth livestock producers are ethically, morally and legally responsible for animals in their care. Animals should be provided appropriate feed, water, comfort and safety while ensuring the animals are not subjected to unnecessary fear, stress or discomfort. Youth are ethically responsible for the well-being of the animals in their care and must not tolerate willful acts of animal neglect or abuse. Youth should take pride in the fact that appropriate animal well-being and properly caring for animals is the right thing to do.