Poultry Pickup New Date – May 25

Chick and duck pickup has moved up one day! We are using a different hatchery this year and they hatch one day earlier. Please plan to be at the Adams County Fairgrounds on Wednesday, May 25 from 4-5 p.m. to pick up your poultry. Birds will be boxed and ready for handout.

Rabbit Clinic – Thursday, April 21, 6 p.m.

Rabbit clinic is coming up next Thursday, April 21, 6 p.m. at the Adams County Fairgrounds. Travis West, Vinton County 4-H Educator, rabbit judge, and breeder will present on selection, care, and showing your rabbit project. We will cover Adams County Junior Fair requirements for rabbit projects and other opportunities available to members. Attendees will also receive their annual required quality assurance training.

There will not be an equipment vendor on site for this year’s clinic. Adams County 4-H Small Animal Committee members will be present and happy to help with any questions you have about equipment, rabbits, or project work.

Breeding rabbits that need tattooed should be brought to the clinic on April 21. This is optional for those who need assistance tattooing breeding animals. For more information on rabbit projects for the 2022 Adams County Junior Fair please visit the livestock page at adams.osu.edu and click on rabbit.

Revolution of Rabbits Provides the Tools for Success!

The Revolution of Rabbits program is a terrific opportunity for low income or at-risk youth to raise and exhibit market rabbits at the Adams County Fair. The goal of the program is to teach youth responsibility as they learn to care for animals, keep records, and successfully complete a project while also making friends, having fun, and giving back to their community. 

Through this program, qualifying youth join a 4-H club, learn about rabbits, and rabbit care, and receive three young rabbits. The program loans members all the supplies necessary for the project, including a rabbit hutch, feed, feeders, waterers, and 4-H record and resource books. The program also provides rabbits and training/mentorship about how to best care for the animals, finish the record book, and successfully complete the project. After completing the requirements and selling their pen of market rabbits at the fair sale, each participant returns $50 of sale proceeds to the 4-H Small Animal Committee to cover program costs, which assures program sustainability. Participants receive the balance of the sale proceeds. 

Any youth who is at least 8 years old and in the third grade and who either has not previously been in 4-H or has not previously participated in a 4-H market animal project, is eligible to apply for this program. The youth should enroll in an Adams County 4-H Club, sign up for the Market Rabbit project, and complete and return the application and commitment form by the February 15 enrollment deadline.  

For more information about Revolution of Rabbits program visit https://go.osu.edu/Revolution. Applications are due February 15 and award winners will be notified before the end of February. If you have questions about the program, need a paper application, or for help enrolling, visit the Extension Office or call us at 937-544-2339. 

Avian Influenza Update

Update on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza from Dr. Timothy McDermott, DVM

  • Highly Pathogenic Eurasian H5 avian influenza was recently found in wild birds in South & North Carolina.
  • The species it was discovered in are migratory waterfowl.
  • Because migratory waterfowl in South and North Carolina or birds they encounter migrate through Ohio, precautions should be taken to prevent the potential exposure of both the commercial poultry industry and backyard poultry community birds to high path avian influenza.
  • Biosecurity for backyard poultry includes preventing wild birds from mingling with the flock. Preventative measures include ensuring your domestic birds cannot access areas migrating birds may visit, such as ponds, puddles, other open water sources, pastures, fields, etc. Prevent interaction with other wild birds in your flock using fencing or bird netting. The aim is to keep your domestic birds from encountering migratory waterfowl.
  • The Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) will test for high path avian influenza in birds suspected of being infected. They would like necropsy specimens submitted via a vet.
  • If you get a call from clients regarding sick birds, CLICK HERE for a list of vets who see poultry in Ohio.
  • Source new birds from reputable sources such as an NPIP approved hatchery.
  • Hunters play an important role in biosecurity. CLICK HERE for biosecurity tips for hunters.
  • USDA APHIS issued the following update on this topic on 1/18/2022:

WASHINGTON, January 18, 2022 – The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed two additional findings of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds – one in Colleton County, South Carolina and one in Hyde County, North Carolina.  These finds follow confirmation on January 14, 2022 of HPAI in a wild bird in Colleton County, South Carolina. All three findings are H5N1 HPAI.

These findings are not unexpected, as wild birds can be infected with HPAI and show no signs of illness. They can carry the disease to new areas when migrating. APHIS anticipates additional wild bird findings as our robust wild bird sampling program continues into the spring.

APHIS will post these and all future wild bird findings on its website on a weekly basis. Stakeholders should check the website on a routine basis, as no future stakeholder announcements are planned for wild bird findings.

Since wild birds can be infected with these viruses without appearing sick, people should minimize direct contact with wild birds by using gloves. If contact occurs, wash your hands with soap and water, and change clothing before having any contact with healthy domestic poultry and birds. Hunters should dress game birds in the field whenever possible and practice good biosecurity to prevent any potential disease spread. Biosecurity information is available at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/2015/fsc_hpai_hunters.pdf.

Given these additional findings, anyone involved with poultry – commercial or backyard flocks alike – should review their biosecurity plan and enhance their biosecurity practices to assure the health of their birds. APHIS has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available for producers on our website.

In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials, either through their state veterinarian or through USDA’s toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593. Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found at http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov.

 

The Power of Thank You

Show boxes have been emptied, ribbons have been hung, project work has been put away for another year.  You spend days, weeks, and months preparing, practicing, checking and double checking that your books are complete, you’ve done your best work, and you’re ready to compete.  Fair week is the culmination of a year of hard work and dedication and whether your project is on display in the booth building or the show ring, it’s your chance to show off your accomplishments for the year.  Fair comes and goes in the blink of an eye and when the dust settles you’re left with a sense of pride in your achievements, lasting friendships, great memories, and recognition of a job well done.

The Adams County community once again showed up in force to support our youth during the 2021 Adams County Fair.  Sponsorships of awards, banners, giveaways, and the Junior Fair Sale are just a few ways businesses and individuals recognize and reward the hard work of our junior fair members.  In order to maintain this outstanding level of support, we need to show our appreciation to those sponsors.  Saying thank you is a small but meaningful way we can express to our community how much their support means.

If you received an award during fair, there was a label on the back with the name and address of the award sponsor.  If you haven’t already, please take a few minutes and write out a thank you note to those individuals.  If you sold a project in the Adams County Junior Fair Sale, please visit this link to find your buyers’ name(s) and address(es) and send them a thank you card as soon as possible.  Now is also a great time to thank your advisors, friends, neighbors, mentors, or others that helped you achieve your goals in 2021.

Not sure where to start with your thank you note?  Check out these simple steps and suggestions shared from Teresa Johnson, 4-H Educator in Defiance County.

Saying thank you seems simple but it is a big deal.  Please be sure to reach out to all of your sponsors and let them know how much you appreciate their support!

Market Rabbit Tattooing Thursday, June 17, 6-8 p.m.

Market Rabbit tattooing will take place on Thursday, June 17 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Adams County fairgrounds.

Members enrolled in the market rabbit project may tattoo up to 4 rabbits, which will be shown in pens of 2 at the fair.  Families with multiple market rabbit exhibitors may tattoo 1 pen (2 rabbits) in each exhibitor’s name and one additional pen of rabbits as a “family” pen.  Each exhibitor will have access to no more than two pens of market rabbits, including “family” pens.

Rabbits should be 8-10 weeks old at time of fair check-in on July 11, and each rabbit in the pen must weigh from 3.5 to 5.5 pounds on July 11 in order to compete for champion, OME recognition, and to sell in the Adams County Junior Fair Small Animal Sale. Rabbits in a pen should be as identical as possible in weight, age, appearance, conformation, and size.

The Rabbit Show at the fair will be held on Tuesday, July 13, beginning with Showmanship at 8:30 a.m. The show will be held in the Junior Fair Activity Building. Anyone needing more information at the tattooing or show at the fair may contact OSU Extension Adams County at 937-544-2339.

June 1st Deadlines

June 1st is “Junior Fair Entry Day”, here is a list of all forms and project registrations due to the extension office 4 p.m.

Make sure if these projects apply to you or your club members that they get these items turned in. Again the deadline is June 1st, by 4 p.m.

Skillathon Update

Update on our skillathon process for 2021.  Now that our in-person limit has been raised to 300 people we will NOT need to pre-register for skillathon.

Skillathon will be held on Wednesday, May 26 and Thursday, May 27 at the Adams County Fairgrounds from 2 – 7 p.m.  We will be set up in the Administration Building and only members will be allowed to enter the building.  Masks and social distancing are required.

All 4-H members must participate in the applicable Skillathon(s) to show at the fair and earn points for the Outstanding Exhibitor scoring. Skillathons are required for 4-H and optional for FFA. Exceptions: Participation in the Skillathon is optional for youth enrolled in horseless horse, pet goat, and pet rabbit projects.

Your livestock resource book and record book are an excellent place to begin studying for skillathon.  Looking for some additional study tools?  Check out our friends at Wayne County’s practice skillathons at https://wayne.osu.edu/skillathon-study-materials.

Makeup skillathon will be scheduled on an individual basis.  If you cannot attend the scheduled dates on May 26 or 27, please contact the office or myself.  Anyone not completing the skillathon on May 26 or 27 will not be eligible for related awards.  The makeup skillathon will however meet the requirement to show at the 2021 Adams County Junior Fair.

Adams County Junior Fair Rabbit Clinic – April 15

The Adams County Junior Fair Rabbit Clinic will be held on Thursday, April 15 at the Adams County Fairgrounds.  We will be holding two sessions of clinic in order to allow more members an opportunity to attend.  Attendance is limited to a total of 50 people per session.  The first session will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the second session 7:15 p.m.  Both sessions will include how to care for and show your rabbit, Quality Assurance, and a vendor will be present with cages and supplies.  Pre-registration is required!  Register at go.osu.edu/21QA and select either Session 4 or Session 5.