WSU Extension Q&A: Can kids enter their Lego creations at the fair?

Q. My child loves to play and build with Legos, does 4-H have a project where Legos can be shown at the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo?

A. Absolutely! The 4-H building at the fairgrounds in Kennewick houses different types of projects that are not your typical animal exhibits.

Legos can be entered under two 4-H categories— Creative Arts as a Still Life project or 4-H in Action, where a 4-H member builds and presents an exhibit in front of a judge and gets feedback.

This is an exhibit category we like to use for Lego robotics, so members can demonstrate how robots function. Either way, Legos are a fun and interesting project to show at the fair.

Lego crafts also can be entered in the Open Class Youth categories under creative crafts.

Q. What areas are prone to high populations of ticks?

A. Ticks need a mammal host to complete their life cycle. Avoid areas with high populations of common hosts, including deer, rodents and other mammals.

Wooded areas, especially those with thick vegetation tend to harbor high tick numbers. In our area, tall grasses are good sites for ticks, especially areas with animal trails. Sunny areas tend to have fewer ticks than shaded areas.

Q. With the price of wheat relatively low at this time, can I use it in diets for beef cattle?

A. Wheat can be used in beef cattle rations as an energy source and it is typically processed in dry rolled or steam flaked forms.

Be cautious anytime wheat is fed to cattle. Wheat is a very “hot” feed. That means it’s high in fermentable starch.

When the rumen microbes digest starch, the pH level of the rumen goes down rapidly, indicating that the rumen environment is becoming more acidic. If the rumen becomes too acidic, an increase in lactic acid producing bacteria multiply, which drops the rumen pH even more.

This metabolic condition is called acidosis and can result in symptoms that range from reduced performance, or in extreme cases, in the animal’s death.

In addition, grain overload and the associated acidosis can result in laminitis in cattle. Providing plenty of roughage in the diet can help moderate the effects of starchy feeds.

It is important to feed only limited amounts of wheat in the diet. If you are considering feeding highly fermentable, starchy feeds such as wheat to your cattle, our Washington State University Extension specialists can help you in formulating balanced diets.

This story was originally published May 26, 2017 at 10:42 AM with the headline "WSU Extension Q&A: Can kids enter their Lego creations at the fair?."