The Manatawna-Saul 4H club is a livestock club in the city of Philadelphia. Children learn to raise and show Beef Cattle, Market Lambs, and Pigs. It is open to youth ages 8-18.
Sheep
This is one of our breeding ewes, Frosty. Her breed is called "Texel." Most of the sheep in the club are a breed called "Southdown." Both breeds are calm and easy for the children to work with. Our sheep club raises and shows primarily "market lambs" which are lambs used for food rather than wool.
Pigs
These are some of the pigs the children raised to show and sell at the State Farm Show in Harrisburg this year. We work with pigs from September through the second week of January, when the animals are sold at Farm Show. This year we showed the breeds York, Landrace, and Spot. Yorks are pink pigs with upright ears, Landrace are pink/white with floppy ears, and Spots... well... have spots. One of our Spots won second place against some pretty stiff competition.
Showing beef at the Etown Fair
A club member shows a yearling ram at the ETown Fair.
Beef Cattle
Our club also shows Beef Cattle. The breed we normally use is called a Hereford. These are the cattle with the reddish body and white face. They are fairly calm and thus a good animal for an older member's 4H project. Children learn to train and show their animal, how to care for it, and to prepare it for eventual sale (usually at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show in Harrisburg).
Usually our beginner club members start with lambs or pigs, and after gaining experience have the option of showing beef cattle.