Talk about teamwork: One young man eases a heifer into the chute and weighs her, while another locks the headgate. At the chuteside table, a young lady carefully mixes the modified-live virus (MLV) vaccine and loads the syringe. If you didn’t know better, you’d think it was an old-fashioned cattle-working with friends and kin folks gathered to help.

The result is the same. The heifer is vaccinated and dewormed, fly control is applied, tissue is collected with a tissue sampling unit (TSU), and an electronic identification device (eID) ear tag is applied and recorded, but it is so much more. These three young folks truly are a team, and they’re vying for the state’s Top Hand Stockmanship & Stewardship award.

They earned the right to be there by placing first or second in one of four regional contests hosted across Georgia. The stockmen are timed and earn points by how safely, humanely, calmly and correctly they work cattle, all according to Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines. Part of their score even comes from filling out a BQA processing map.

The idea for the Top Hand Stockmanship & Stewardship contest, powered by the University of Georgia (UGA) Beef Team and the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association (GCA), started with the very active Carroll County Cattlemen’s Association. Paula Burke, the extension coordinator for Carroll County, asked UGA extension animal scientist Jason Duggin for help, and the two decided to use the long-running Virginia Tech contest as an outline. To give contestants even more of a hands-on experience, however, they added the eID tag, wand and TSU to the contest. They also expanded it to the whole state.

Says Duggin, “There is too much to be learned from this to keep it local.”

After the 2024 contest, Duggin estimates around 130 students have participated, some for all three years.

This year

When the last heifer came through the chute on the first Saturday in May, eight teams of three ninth- through 12th-grade students participated in the state contest.

Make no mistake, it is real-world. Hosted at the UGA Alapaha Range Station, part of the potential replacement heifers took exception to being handled. There was head tossing, and a couple of heifers rebelled by even lying down in the chute. At that point, the contestants got an extra dose of problem-solving.

Coached by Young Farmer teacher Lauren Jarrett, the Chattooga Senior Citizens, named because all three students are getting ready for their senior year at Chattooga High School, took the top prize. It is safe to say the future of the beef industry is in good hands.

Takeaways

CarolAnn Cash, 17, gets extracurricular practice with her family’s small herd of South Poll cattle, which she’s been helping work for eight years. In addition, she shows goats, sheep and rodeos with her Morgan horses, recently winning the state 4-H Ranch Horse Division Championship.

“I thought the Top Hand contest was a good opportunity to show the skills I already had and learn more about BQA,” says Cash. “We practice safety and efficiency.”

Not to mention teamwork. This is the second year the team has participated in the contest.

“We’ve really learned to work together,” Cash says, noting she values the connections and friendships she’s made.

Dylan Davis, UGA youth livestock extension specialist, says working cattle the BQA way is the focus of contest, but soft skills also count.

“They learn teamwork and time management. They not only have to hold up their end of the deal but have the responsibility of making sure the job as a whole gets done,” he says. “Because it is a timed contest, they learn time management. They also learn effective communication and learn to communicate quickly, accurately and effectively.”

Building a network

Barney, Ga., cattleman and past GCA president Kurt Childers was one of three judges for this year’s state contest. He says networking is another benefit. He told participants, “It opens up the opportunity to meet people who will help you in the future.”

Duggin adds to the list: “When the contestants learn to actually give a shot or put in an ear tag, it gives them a huge amount of confidence.”

All of those skills will continue to help Cash. Although she plans to keep helping her family with their cattle, her career goal is to be a pharmacist.

“Horses and cows are expensive,” she explains.