How is 4-H involved with rabbits?

[cmh9023]

I readabout rabbits being connected with 4-H. It will say something like"he was a 4-H rabbit" or"I haven't had rabbits since 4-H when I was a kid". I don't know anything about 4-H and I was wondering about it. Does it encourage children to raise or breed rabbits? If so, why?

 

[naturestee]

Kids show rabbits, and often breed them too but not always. That part is more common in rural areas I think,where it's common for farmers to raise rabbits for meat and pets anyway. This just gets the kids involved, in the same way that they raise and show cows, sheep, etc. for 4H. A big thing is teaching kids how to care for the rabbits and breed responsibly, as opposed to just doing it on their own. Aside from just judging the rabbit's breed characteristics and health, there are also competitions on the child's showmanship.

I have personal issues with encouraging children to breed, especially with all the rabbits in shelters, but at least they get advice from adult mentors.

Many 4H rabbit breeders graduate to showing in the ARBA, if they aren't doing it already. Sometimes the whole family is involved with showing rabbits in 4H and ARBA. Of course, quite a few also go on to simply owning rabbits as pampered pets.

 

[cmh9023]

Oh, I see. I know what you mean about kids raising thecows and stuff. I'm from a pretty small town.I remember when I was a kid at the fair they judged the cows and someplace like Pick 'n Save would buy the winning cow. And, the second year I saw that in the paper it suddenly dawned on me what happened to the cow. Yikes! I avoided the cow barn at the fair after that I just never saw any rabbits around I don't think.

 

[bat42072]

at the fair here... the rabbits are kept in the poultry barn.. -- becky

 

[naturestee]

I don't know which fair you were going to, but the Dodge County fair where I grew up had a small animal tent for the rabbits, chickens, and goats. I think they were in the same building as the chickens at the Sheboygan County fair too.

Some of the winning rabbits are also auctioned off, although I don't think it's mandatory in case they are pets. I'm not sure.

My hubby used to raise and show rabbits for 4H, and my dad paid for part of his college by raising pigs for 4H and selling them at the winner's auction.

 

[bluebird]

There a different things 4H kids can take at our fair.they can do pet care were they just buy a bunny and care for it.they can breed rabbits and show them.or they can do meat pen.at our fair only the meat ***** auctioned off.some kids sell rabbits after the judging.many 4Hers do not breed there rabbits.I don't think 4H encourages breeding.i think most kids just buy their project rabbit.bluebird(former 4H leader)

 

[pamnock]

There are also many other 4-H projects besides livestock such as aerospace, amphibians, reptiles, arts &crafts, bicycling, cooking, cats, child development, citizenship,sewing, communications, computers, conservation, knitting, consumer savvy, dogs, electricity, entomology, environmental science, veterinary science, forestry, gardening, geology, geospatial, global education,healthy lifestyles, home environment, horticulture, leadership, meat,outdoor adventures, photography, robotics, shooting sports, engines,fishing, welding, wildlife, woodworking and many others!



Pam (former rabbit 4-H advisor and many years involved in horse 4-H)




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