5-28-08
New photos have been added to the photo gallery as well as an educational article. The Judging Connection.com is making plans to provide some new and exciting information, images, clips, and new concepts for our viewers. Look for new and exciting changes in the summer and early fall.

2-12-08
New pictures posted from the Pennsylvania Farm Show 2008. Dairy Goat Champions are also posted from the 2008 Pennsylvania Farm Show.

Pictures posted from the Heart of it All, Lima Ohio Cattle Show.

Photo's by Linde

New articles posted on bracing goats or not bracing goats the controversial issue in showmanship.

1-17-08
A new article has been posted called: The Ethical Decision.

This article talks about the illegal drugs being used, affects it has on humans, penalties for cheating in 4-H, and why people do it.

1-10-08
Linde's Livestock Photo has joined The Judging Connection.com in posting pictures from shows all over the United States.

New pictures posted from 2007 NAILE Boer Goat, Boer Junior Meat Goats, and the AGR Holiday Classic from Columbus Ohio.

12-28-07
The Judging Connection.com is seeking people interested in helping build the website.  We want your pictures from the major shows from all over the United States.  If anyone is interested in being a filed rep. photographer  for The Judging Connection.com and taking pictures of the championship drives at the state fairs, nationals shows, or major shows in your area  please contact us at

 Thanks

12-26-07
The Judging Connection.com would like to post your State Fair Winners. If you are the breeder of a champion or reserve, the showman, or the judge.  We would like to post the winners photo's in our photo gallery. We are seeking the winners mainly for 4-H Junior shows in Cattle,Swine, Sheep and Goats.   

New photo's have been posted for Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.  

12-26-07
Check out more pictures of the 2007 Hoosier Beef congress with photo's by Lucy.
http://photosbylucy.smugmug.com/
State fair pictures are now available in the photo gallery.  Check out the champions from: Colorado, Iowa, and Minnesota.
Images will be added from the Indiana Junior Club Lamb Circuit 2007 show season. 
New shows have been posted on the event calendar. 

12-17-07
New events have been added to the calendar. New images have been posted as well.

12-17-07
Happy Holidays from The Judging Connection.com

12-3-07
New meat goat practice judging classes have been added. Coming soon images from the 2007 Indiana Beef Congress in the photo gallery.

11-12-07
The Judging Connection .com has broadened the educational database to include a Photo Gallery. Images in the photo gallery can be used for educational presentations, programs, and for teaching. Additional images and categories will be added to the photo gallery from time to time. Check out our new photo gallery under the education section.

11-5-07
New Articles have been posted on:
Pink Eye, Biosecurity in Youth Livestock Shows, Ringworm, Anaplasmosis, Anthrax, Blackleg, Bloat, Bovine Spongioform Encephalopath, Brucellosis, Calf_Scours, Coccidiosis, External_Parasites, Foot and Mouth, Footrot, Grass Tetany, IBR, Internal Parasites, Johne’s Disease, Leptospirosis, Listerosis, Lumpy Jaw, Trichomoniasis, Vibriosis, Warts, Wooden Tongue, Abortions in Sheep, Early Weaning Lambs, Managing Your Cow Herd Through Body Condition Scoring, Preparing for Successful Calving Season, Feeding Corn to Beef Cattle, Swine Biosecurity, Value Based Beef Cattle Production, Cattle Terms, Cattle Preconditioning Programs, Cattle Respiratory Illnesses, Feeder Calf Grading System, Beef Cattle Frame Scores, Sore Mouth in Sheep and Goats, Biosecurity for Sheep and Goats, Controlling Sore Mouth in Meat Goats, Questions About Sore Mouth, Lamb Pneumonia, Managing Internal Parasites in Sheep and Goats, Urinary Calculi, Sheep Rectal Prolapse, Scrapies Fact Sheet, Parasite Survival Kit for Goats, Medications Commonly Used in Goats, Medication Control of Internal Parasites in Sheep and Goats, Drug Withdrawal Times for Sheep and Goats, Acidosis in Sheep, Increasing Lamb Survival, Mastitis in Ewes and Does, Scours in Sheep and Goats, Vaccinating for Overeating Disease, Overeating Disease, Copper Toxicity in Sheep, White Muscle Disease in Sheep and Goats, Meat Goat Vaccination Program, Medications to Treat Coccidiosis, Livestock Judging Practice Classes, Oral Reasons Template, Reducing Dark Cutting Beef in Youth Shows, EPD’s; Balancing Traits for Profit, Sheep and Swine Evaluation, Judging Volume, Feeding Show Steers parts 1-3, Evaluating Fat and Muscle in Livestock, Growth and Development, and Utilizing Performance Data.

Plus new educational website links have been posted for:
Sheep Diseases, Sheep and Goat Disease Image Gallery, Beef Education and Skillathon, Kansas State Practice Classes, Delavan-Darien FFA Practice Classes.

10-30-07
Learn more about retinal imaging for cattle, sheep, and goats by viewing the video clip found under the virtual library in the education section.

http://thejudgingconnection.com/education-videos.php

10-29-07
The American Dairy Goat Board of Directors has approved The Judging Connection .com to have permission to reprint the certified dairy goat
judge list from the American Dairy Goat Association.

10-29-07
Iowa State University
University Extension
Copyright © 2007 Iowa State University Extension
Published on:
8/22/2007

AMES, Iowa--Only 14 of Iowa's 99 counties piloted the retinal imaging identification system for 4-H livestock entries at the Iowa State Fair in 2007, but two of the 14 counties produced three 4-H champions at the fair.

In the past, Iowa State University 4-H Youth Development has used a variety of methods to identify beef, sheep and meat goats, including noseprints and a hair DNA sample, according to Michael Anderson, 4-H livestock program coordinator. The goal is to replace noseprints and DNA samples with retinal imaging for all 4-H State Fair entries in beef, sheep and meat goats by 2009.

Other states already using retinal imaging to identify 4-H livestock include Indiana, Mississippi and New Mexico. Colorado and Ohio also are considering the program.

Advantages include the ease of collecting the images and electronically storing the information, Anderson said. The match also can be done at the show instead of waiting weeks for verifying DNA matches.

State Fair winners verified by retinal imaging at the 2007 Iowa State Fair included the champion 4-H market steer shown by Nolan Ferguson of Mahaska County, the champion 4-H market lamb shown by Brenden Kuesel of Poweshiek County and the 4-H reserve champion meat goat shown by Kayla Middlesworth of Mahaska County.

Contacts :
Michael Anderson, 4-H Youth Development, (515) 294-8617, mikeande@iastate.edu

Carol Ouverson, Extension Communications and Marketing, (515) 294-9640, couverso@iastate.edu

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2007/aug/092201.htm

10-29-07
New Educational Articles posted on: Cattle Identification by Nose Printing, Cattle Hoof Trimming, Cattle Lameness and Hoof Health, Clipping Show Pigs, Swine Fitting and Hair Clipping.

10-17-07
2007 National Barrow Show Livestock Judging Results:

10-16-07
Learn more about Retinal Imaging Techologies for 4-H Beef and Sheep Identification.

To learn more about how to do retinal imaging, ordering supplies, why it is being used, or what the future holds for identification.

-Pick Education
-Click Articles
-Select Cattle, or Breeding Sheep, or Club Lambs
-Select Education
-Review the Retinal Imaging Articles

The Judging Connection.com is seeking an educational video clip from Optibrand on Retinal Imaging.

9-23-07
Gordon Co. Livestock Judging Team wins National Contest

The Gordon County 4-H Livestock Judging team placed first in the nation at the National Barrow Show and Judging Contest on September 10, 2007, in Austin, Minnesota. There were 49 teams competing from across the United States, with 205 total participants. Members of the team are David Miller, who placed fourth high individual, Jacob Holmes, who placed sixth high individual, Tyler Turnquist, who placed 22nd, and Matthew Darby, who placed 52nd. The team was accompanied by their coach Lee Crump, as well as Lewis Miller, Travis and Sue Turnquist.

This was the 61st National Livestock Judging Contest, sponsored by Hormel Foods Corp. The team will now prepare for the National Livestock Judging Contest to be held in November at the North American International Livestock Expo in Louisville, Kentucky.

The team members won this trip for placing first at the UGA Bulldog Classic Livestock Judging Contest this past June held in Athens, GA. The Bulldog Classic was put together by the University of Georgia Livestock Judging Coach, Jary Douglas, and his judging team.

http://www.georgia4h.org/main/headlines/fullstory.cfm?HeadlineID=126&imagefile=gordon%20team%2EJPG

9-23-07
The Judging Connection.com is being highly advertised over the course of the next year. Current advertisements includes: Showpig.com, EDJE Technologies Websites, and The Seed Stock Edge Magazine. Additional advertisements will include: boergoat.com, PrimeTime Magazine, The Show Circuit.com, Ag Exchange Magazine, The Dairy Goat Association, and much more.

Every County 4-H Youth Extension Agent from the entire United States will be notified about The Judging Connection.com and what it has to offer.

The Judging Connection.com has been gathering testimonials and endorsements from well known judges.

Let The Judging Connection.com do the work for you. All you have to do is place a profile online.

9-17-07
National FFA organization joins the USDA to advance the National Animal Identification System (NAIS).

On June 4, 2007 the two organizations signed an agreement in Washington D.C. to further advance education about the NAIS program. The agreement stated the FFA organization would distribute educational materials to its current members, alumni, and assist in the Premise ID program. Additional partnerships have been developed with the National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board.

The FFA organization has established a 5 step program to further promote education.

1. Create classroom instructional materials about NAIS and distribute it through AgEd Learning Center online starting Oct. 24-17, 2007.
2. Develop State Specific Registration Materials
3. Establish Community Outreach Kits allowing FFA chapters to host workshops to promote NAIS.
4. Promote published materials through the New Horizons magazine and through television appearances on RFD-TV.
5. Additionally the FFA organization will host a recognition ceremony to acknowledge the achievements of FFA chapters.

9-2-07
The Judging Connection.com and Browarny Photographics Inc. have paired up to bring featured video clips to the virtual library. The virtual library will include video clips of the championship drives for the major shows, major judging contests, and educational events. Additional video clips will be added to the website to include: showmanship, grooming, practice judging classes, reasons, and other educational materials. Both Browarny Photographics Inc. and The Judging Connection.com are devoted to bringing the best quality videos in agriculture for your viewing. We believe in the future of technology and what an impact it can have on a large variety of viewers.

Possible Featured Video Clips May Include:

Houston Texas Championship Drive
Indiana State Fair Championship Drive
North American International Livestock Exposition
National Junior Swine Association Show and Events
National Livestock Judging Competition
Practice Judging Classes from the major College Judging Contests
Purdue University Junior Pork Day
Showmanship
Grooming
Reasons

8-28-07
Read the entire January revised 2007 Farm Bill on Animal Identification on page 36.
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/78546.pdf


The House passes the 2007 Farm Bill on July 27. 2007.
http://agriculture.house.gov/list/press/agriculture_dem/pr_072707_FarmBillPassesHouse.html


More information about the USDA requirements for Premise Id and the animal identification program check out the following:
http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/animal_id/index.shtml
http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/extension/updates.shtml

8-28-07
Learn how to tattoo swine by reading the following website:
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$Department/deptdocs.nsf/all/pig10401

8-28-07
The new Youth Pork Quality Assurance Plus program goes into effect June 7, 2007. For more information about this program check out:
http://www.pork.org/Producers/YouthPQAPlus/default.aspx

8-23-07
The Judging Connection has plans for improvements and expansions in the distant future. We hope to include a larger variety of species such as dairy, veal, rabbits, poultry, llamas, and horses. Our goal is to make this website the largest database and a one stop reference for county fairs, shows, state fairs, high schools, and colleges. Our hopeful expansions are for 2008-2009.

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