About this event

In the team activity, the team acts as consultants to a producer. It gets 40 minutes to prepare, a 10-minute presentation and 5 minutes of questions, worth 500 points: 400 for content and 100 for communication. The 2027 topic is Young Stock Management. Team practicums replace the old General Knowledge exam: the team does three of five practicums announced in advance, worth 600 together. Each member places six classes of heifers or cows, 12 minutes per class or 15 for reasons classes, at 50 points per class. Each member gives oral reasons on three classes, with 15 minutes to prepare and up to 2 minutes to speak, without notes, at 50 points per set. Totals are 450 per member and 2,900 per team. Teams have four members, and all four scores count. The event is open to grades 7 to 12. FFA Official Dress is highly recommended, though black slacks and closed-toe shoes are fine for the outdoor classes. Members bring two sharpened No. 2 pencils and may use only a basic five-function calculator; paper and clipboards are provided. Teams may need a laptop or other device, with specs in the orientation packet. Animals may be viewed from every side but not handled. State winners go on to the national event at the 100th National FFA Convention and Expo, Oct 27 to 30, 2027, in Indianapolis.

FormatSkills Only

DurationTeam activity 40 min prep, 10 min talk and 5 min questions; six placing classes at 12 min each (15 min for reasons classes); oral reasons 15 min prep and up to 2 min each; team practicums not stated

Solo or teamTeam of 4

CategoryAnimal Systems

Your plan

How to study

Built from the official scorecard and the event's own clock.

Read the handbook and the sheet
Everything is scored on the scorecard below. The official handbook has the rules and how the event runs on the day.
Official handbook (opens in a new tab)
Learn what judges score
Know every row of the sheet before the day, biggest rows first: it is what judges look for.
See the sheet
Rehearse the presentation
Type or say your presentation. The judge scores it on the official scorecard and times you against the 10-minute limit.
Get judged on your presentation
Rehearse to the clock
You have 10 minutes, then 5 minutes of questions. Time every run, out loud, start to finish.

Judging

What judges score

Team activity content

Opening statement20
Identification of problem areas40
Supporting information60
Factors of impact100
Identifying solutions100
Implementation of solutions60
Conclusion20

Team activity communication

Speaking without hesitation20
Tone20
Being detail-oriented20
Speaking unrehearsed20
Connecting and articulating facts and issues15
All team members participated5

Official reference sources

Listed in the official FFA handbook.

National FFA past CDE materials, FFA.org
Hoard's Dairyman judging contest and materials, hoards.com
Cornell University Department of Animal Science Dairy Resources
Virginia Dairy Quiz Bowl study materials, Virginia Tech
CEV Multimedia, Inc. (iCEV), icevonline.com
Holstein Foundation Education Workbooks
Holstein Foundation Youth Programs: Dairy Bowl Materials
Dairy Herd Improvement, drms.org
Current Dairy Unified Scorecard, purebreddairycattle.com
Modern Livestock and Poultry Production, James R. Gillispie, most current edition, Delmar Cengage Learning, Albany, N.Y. (paid book)