It’s hard to believe, but the fair will be here before we know it- and that means Skillathon is right around the corner! If you haven’t done so already, please be sure to schedule an appointment for your Dairy Skillathon at this link: http://go.osu.edu/signup4skillathon.
This information was previously emailed to 4-H families enrolled in Dairy Cattle Projects. Here are some helpful study tips and directions to help you prepare.
A quick reminder:
All Junior Fair Exhibitors must complete both a Skillathon (county or state level) and a 4-H/FFA project record book in order to be eligible to show at the Fairfield County Fair. Project book rubrics are available on our county website for your reference.
117DF/117M – 4-H Dairy Beef and Market Beef (Dairy Steer) Exhibitors: You should be completing the 117 Beef Project Record Book. All dairy feeder and market beef records can be contained in the same book if you are taking both projects.
127 CA/127CO/127He – 4-H Dairy Calf/Cow/Heifer Exhibitors: With the revision of the 4-H 127 Dairy Cattle Project and Record book, there is now a required online component. This component, or focus questions, is accessible at go.osu.edu/4hdairyresources. Each year will have its own unique topics of interest, medication label, and treatment record scenario. Attached please find 2025 Dairy Cattle Focus Questions. Please use these when completing your Dairy Project and Record Book.
This year’s Dairy Skillathon will include four stations:
- Interview & Project Book Review- A brief conversation about your project and a check of your completed book.
- Breeds- Match breed names to their correct images (similar to previous years).
- Diseases- New this year! Exhibitors will identify diseases based on written or visual descriptions.
- Feeds- Identify various feedstuffs displayed in plastic containers, just like in the past two years.
Skillathon study materials can be found in your Dairy Resource Handbook (DRH) and are also outlined below:
- Breeds- DRH Pages 9-13, 197, plus the attached updated 2024 SlideShow (please study the updated pictures!)
- Diseases- DRH Pages 81-83
- Feeds- DRH Pages 50, 198-203
If you don’t have your species Resource Handbook, a limited number are available for purchase at the Extension Office. Your 4-H/FFA advisor may also have one you can reference
If you have any questions or need help preparing for Skillathon, please don’t hesitate to reach out! And if you’ve decided to not take your livestock project this year, please let me know as soon as possible.
We are looking forward to seeing all of your hard work and studying pay off!