Again this year families will tag their market beef calves at home prior to weighing them in at Fairfield Cattle Company on March 12.
NOTE: During the Sr. Fair Board meeting on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, the process for having specific calves assigned to specific youth within the immediate family was changed. Families no longer need to designate at this time which immediate family member will be exhibiting which calf. More detail and explanation of this new rule can be found in the first NOTE under number 5) below.
The time for Fairfield County’s market beef tagging and weigh-in is upon us. Based on the success of the tagging and weigh-in process that was utilized last year, this year will be conducted in a similar fashion with only a few modifications.
Youth will be required to tag their own market beef animals with a visual tag and must submit a hair follicle DNA sample prior to, or at weigh-in which will begin at 8:30 a.m. on March 12, 2022. Due to a Nationwide shortage of 840 RFID tags, EID tags will not be required this year.
In advance of March 12, families with market beef projects will also be required to reserve weigh-in time, and only those directly involved in transporting and weighing-in calves should plan to attend . . . please, no spectators! The goal is to reduce congregation at weigh-in and minimize the transfer of paperwork. Specifically, the step-by-step process includes . . .
1) The deadline for ownership and possession of a market beef project in Fairfield County remains March 1.
2) Youth/families planning to weigh/tag-in market steers and market heifers for the 2022 Fair must submit a request for their tags on-line by completing the survey linked here before March 2, 2022. Complete only one request survey per family.
3) When requesting your tags on-line you will be asked for the first date you would like to pick up your tags and the necessary tagger at the Sr. Fair office. Please order your tags at least two working days prior to your preferred date to pick them up. Senior Fair staff will then contact you to make an appointment for pick up when your tags and taggers are ready. Please be reminded that the Sr. Fair office is typically open M-F from 8:30 a.m. until Noon.
4) Tag applicators may be borrowed from the Sr. Fair Office at the time tags are picked up and must be returned the next day unless an alternate time is agreed upon with the Sr. Fair Staff at the time the taggers are borrowed. Exhibitors needing assistance in tagging should contact their 4-H/FFA advisor for assistance.
5) Youth/families are expected to apply the required tags in the calf’s ear prior to weigh/tag-in on March 12, 2022 and submit their individual exhibitor, calf tagging, housing and County Bred, Born & Raised information on a second survey linked here before March 10, at 12 noon.
NOTE: Each exhibitor may tag in a total of up to four steers and/or heifers for the March weigh-in. At fair weigh-in in October, each exhibitor will then select the animal(s) they will show for live and/or Beef Performance and Carcass Quality contests from the market beef animals tagged within the immediate family in March. As defined in the Ohio Administrative Code, 901-19-01, Definitions, (P), “Family” means the immediate family of an exhibitor, including but not limited to the exhibitor’s parent, step-parent, foster parent, grandparent, step-grandparent, foster grandparent, brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, half-brother, half-sister, son, daughter, step-son, step-daughter, or guardian.
NOTE: Those participating in the Born, Bred, and Raised (B, B & R) in Fairfield County show may upload their breeder signed B, B & R form when submitting their individual calf information on-line in the second form found linked above, or must turn in their signed B, B & R in an envelope on weigh in day. A copy of the B, B & R form is linked here. Be certain all information is complete and your breeder is a member of the Fairfield County Cattlemen’s Association (FCCA). FCCA membership details may be found linked here.
6) In the second survey linked above each family will also select the time they will arrive with their calf(s) to be weighed and checked in on March 12. All tagged calves must be weighed in on March 12, 2022, at the Fairfield Cattle Company facility located at 3443 Cincinnati-Zanesville Road (S.R. 22), Lancaster.
7) By the time of tagging, youth/families are also expected to submit a hair follicle DNA sample from each calf they tag-in and these DNA samples may be submitted to the Sr. Fair Office at the same time as the taggers. Approximately 30 hairs that include the roots – do NOT cut the hair – for each calf must be submitted in a zip lock plastic bag. Include in the bag an index card listing the visual tag number of the calf, the exhibitor’s name, address, and club/chapter. If you’ve not collected hair DNA samples before, see this one minute YouTube for detail on how to collect the hair sample: https://youtu.be/Upl-09ZOLF0
8) Any unused tags must be returned to the Sr. Fair Office.
For more information on this tagging and weighing process for your 2022 Fairfield County Fair market beef animals, contact Junior Fair Director Chuck Miller at: keywest100@att.net.