Events

Beef and Forage Field Night

This year, in addition to researchers from The Ohio State University (OSU) showcasing their research, field night attendees will have the option to receive certification for Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) at the Beef and Forage Field Night at the Jackson Agricultural Research Station on August 23 from 5 – 8:30 p.m. Field night participants will be able to view the research plots and attend sessions that qualify for BQA certification. The research station is located at 019 Standpipe Rd., Jackson, OH 45640.

Dinner will be served at 5 p.m. and the program begins at 6 p.m. with BQA subject areas. Dr. Steve Boyles, Department of Animal Sciences, OSU, will Continue reading →

BQA; A Commitment to Quality

– John F. Grimes, OSU Extension Beef Coordinator

What is Beef Quality Assurance (BQA)? BQA is a nationally coordinated, state implemented program that provides systematic information to U.S. beef producers and beef consumers of how common sense husbandry techniques can be coupled with accepted scientific knowledge to raise cattle under optimum management and environmental conditions.

BQA is certainly not a new program. The precursor to BQA, “Beef Safety Assurance”, originated in the late 1970’s and through the 1980’s emphasized targeting real and perceived beef safety issues. The primary emphasis of the program was educating stakeholders about the proper use of pharmaceutical products and the honoring of withdrawal times. BQA programs as we know them today began in the early 1990’s.

Current BQA programming is expanding with information to help producers implement best management practices that improve both quality grades and yield grades of beef carcasses. USDA Quality Grading is a composite evaluation of factors including carcass maturity, firmness, texture, and color of lean, and the amount and distribution of marbling within the lean. These factors affect the palatability of Continue reading →

Ohio State Fair; a place to get “meals served by the Ohio farmers who grow it!”

– Stan Smith, Fairfield County PA, OSU Extension

The Taste of Ohio Cafe’ offers the opportunity for consumers to meet the farmers that grow their food.

The free market system will ultimately have a significant voice in how our farm animals are managed . . . the bottom line is that our clientele wants to know more about the food we are producing.

Those words were shared in this publication eight years ago by John Grimes as he discussed the 2010 agreement that initiated the creation of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board. Little has changed today in that regard, and little is expected to change anytime soon. With the majority of our consuming public two, three, or even four generations removed from the farm, whether we like it or not, public concern for how our food is produced, by whom, and the sustainability of methods we use is the Continue reading →

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Manure Science Review – Wednesday, July 25

– Mark Badertscher, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, OSU Extension

The 2018 Manure Science Review is being held at the Watkins Farm near Forest, Ohio on July 25th

The 2018 Ohio State University Manure Science Review is scheduled for Wednesday, July 25 at the Watkins farm located at 18361 Township Road 90, Forest, OH 45843 in Hardin County. The program will begin at 8:45 am, while registration, coffee and donuts will be offered in the morning starting at 8:15 am before the field day kicks off with the afternoon activities ending by 3:30 pm.

The morning educational sessions in the main tent will focus on Waterhemp and Other Weed Seeds in Manure, Avoiding Manure Spills, Manure Application: Rules and Liability, Reducing Phosphorus Runoff, Regulations Update, and Valuing Manure. There will be indoor demonstrations of Continue reading →

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Celebrate National Forage Week, June 17-23, 2018

This is National Forage Week. In the video embedded below, OSU Extension Educator Christine Gelley and retired Ohio NRCS State Grasslands Conservationist Bob Hendershot discuss the impact forages have on Ohio farms and in our environment.

You’re Invited to a Grazing Educational Opportunity in Hocking County

Hocking and Vinton Soil and Water Conservation Districts are holding a pasture walk on Tuesday June 12, from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm. The topic for the evening will be parasite management and livestock health as it pertains to grazing. We will also look at management strategies for livestock with different grazing habits. It will be a great educational opportunity to learn about grazing management practices.

The workshop will be at the Donna Alba’s farm 32280 Fairview Road Logan, OH 43138. Reservations are appreciated but not required. For more information or to make a reservation contact Hocking SWCD 740-385-3016

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Plan Now for the 2018 OCA Replacement Female Sale

– John F. Grimes, OSU Extension Beef Coordinator

Each of the first five OCA Replacement Female Sales have enjoyed large crowds and active bidders.

The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) is announcing an event of potential interest for both the buyers and sellers of beef breeding cattle. On Friday evening, November 23, the OCA will be hosting their sixth annual Replacement Female Sale. The sale will be held at the Muskingum Livestock facility in Zanesville and will begin at 6:00 p.m.

The 2018 Ohio Cattlemen’s Association Replacement Female Sale will provide an opportunity for both buyers and sellers to Continue reading →

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Ohio Beef Expo Kicks Off March 16

Don’t miss Ohio’s premier beef cattle event, March 16-18!

The Ohio Beef Expo, the premier event of Ohio’s beef industry, will take place March 16-18 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio. This annual event, coordinated by the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA), includes a kickoff social; breed sales, shows and displays; an educational seminar; a three-day trade show and a highly competitive junior show.

OCA members and Expo exhibitors are invited to attend The Social, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, on Continue reading →

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Crawford County Cattlemen Plan Beef Finishing Tour, You’re Invited

The Erf’s take the Holstein calves they start all the way to finish.

– Jason Hartschuh, AgNR Educator, OSU Extension Crawford Country

The Crawford County cattlemen are planning to tour two beef finishing operations in the Bellevue Ohio area on March 3rd and they would like to extend an invitation to anyone across the state to join them for the tours. The first stop will be 10:00 am at Lepley’s new slatted floor finishing barn; located at 4084 Prairie Rd Bellevue. From there we will be traveling a few miles to Erf Farm’s, 4516 Yingling Rd Bellevue, to see a dairy beef finishing operation. They purchase deacon calves and raise them through finishing using some the latest technology to feed the deacon calves.

From there we will travel to York Animal Hospital (Dr Mike Mull) 1184 W Main St Bellevue, where we will Continue reading →

Gaining Greater Market Access for Ohio Feeder Calves

– Stan Smith, OSU Extension PA, Fairfield County

“The World is expecting a lot more information about the food they buy.”

During the first segment of the Ohio Beef School, OSU Extension Beef Coordinator John Grimes visits with Bill Tom of United Producers, and Henry Zerby from Wendy’s, about the rapidly changing demands in the beef cattle market

“Consumers are concerned for animal health, and the sustainability of the production systems their food’s raised in.”

“Traceability and transparency are of growing concern to consumers.”

“Vaccination is not necessarily the same as immunization when it comes to preventing health issues.”

“Feed and bunk management, and avoiding nutritional stress are keys to calf health.”

These are just a few of the comments that will be emphasized, and Continue reading →