Dairy Beef Feeders

Livestock Exhibitors: Quality Assurance MUST be completed by June 30th to show at fair, no exceptions!

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Quality Assurance is an annual requirement of the Ohio Department of Agriculture for youth taking livestock projects to county and state fair. In Fairfield County, Quality Assurance Training is required for all members who will be exhibiting a livestock project at the Fairfield County Fair or Junior Exhibitor at the Ohio State Fair. Beef (Breeding & Market); Dairy Breeding, Dairy Steers, & Dairy Feeders; Goats (Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy); Poultry (Breeding & Market); Sheep (Breeding & Market); Swine; Rabbits (Breeding & Market), and Alpacas/Llamas.

Deadlines for 2025:

  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2025 (or 45 days prior to exhibition).
  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 30, 2025.

Email reminders will be sent to advisors this last month for those who have yet to complete this requirement.

All Quality Assurance information has been shared with club/chapter advisors and has been posted on the blog since April 24th. Read all Quality Assurance options for 2025 here.

Swine, Lamb, Goat and Dairy Feeder Check-in Details are Released

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All trailers should enter the main gate off Fair Avenue

Plans for the Fairfield County Jr. Fair ‘live’ market swine, swine MQP, ‘live’ lamb, lamb MQP, ‘live’ goat and dairy feeder check-in on June 28 at the Fairgrounds have been finalized.

Exhibitors are responsible for seeing their animals are tagged with an EID tag prior to arrival at the Fairgrounds on June 28. For those animals not presently with an 840 EID tag, tags and taggers are available from the OSU Extension office. Details for tagging and securing tags are linked here. https://u.osu.edu/fairfield4h/2025/05/07/protocol-for-tagging-market-lambs-market-hogs-market-goats-and-dairy-beef-feeders/

Prior to June 28 exhibitors with MQP pigs, market lambs (both live and MQP), market goats and dairy beef feeders must Continue reading Swine, Lamb, Goat and Dairy Feeder Check-in Details are Released →

Protocol for tagging Market Lambs, Market Hogs, Market Goats and Dairy Beef Feeders

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Order your tags from the Extension office today!

It’s once again the time to prepare for tagging and weigh-in of market and MQP lambs, market and MQP hogs, market and MQP goats and dairy beef feeders. Again this year exhibitors will be required to tag their own market animals with an 840 EID tag (unless the animal already has an EID tag).

Specifically, the check list of step-by-step process and requirements include . . Continue reading Protocol for tagging Market Lambs, Market Hogs, Market Goats and Dairy Beef Feeders →

Attention Livestock Exhibitors: Quality Assurance Requirements

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Quality Assurance is an annual requirement of the Ohio Department of Agriculture for youth taking livestock projects to county and state fair. In Fairfield County, Quality Assurance Training is required for all members who will be exhibiting a livestock project at the Fairfield County Fair or Junior Exhibitor at the Ohio State Fair. Beef (Breeding & Market); Dairy Breeding, Dairy Steers, & Dairy Feeders; Goats (Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy); Poultry (Breeding & Market); Sheep (Breeding & Market); Swine; Rabbits (Breeding & Market), and Alpacas/Llamas.

Deadlines for 2025:

  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2025.
  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 30th, 2025.

At this time, Quality Assurance CANNOT be taught by club/chapter advisors to Fairfield County 4-H/FFA youth virtually (i.e. Zoom, Google Hangouts, Google Classrooms, Facebook Live, etc.).

Here are the acceptable options to complete Quality Assurance in 2025:

  • In-Person 4-H Club/FFA Chapter Clinic taught by a 4-H/FFA Advisor who has completed the Quality Assurance Assistant Instructor Training this year. Advisors who attended this training will notify their members of their club/chapter QA Clinic date and will be responsible for getting all QA paperwork submitted to the Extension Office by the appropriate deadlines.
  • In-Person Countywide Make-Up Clinics: To be held on Thursday, May 1st from 6:30-8:30 p.m. or Tuesday, May 20th from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Fairfield County Ag Center/Extension Office (831 College Ave. Lancaster). An RSVP is required. Please click here to register for a countywide QA makeup clinic.
  • In-Person Beef Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person BQA taught by a certified BQA instructor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.
  • In-Person Pork Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person PQA taught by a certified PQA advisor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu. Youth MUST be age 14 or older (current age) to complete in-person PQA. Youth will receive a PQA certification number from the National Pork Board upon completion.
  • Online: Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA). This is the ONLY approved ONLINE Quality Assurance Program for youth in Ohio. For 2025, this web-based course has been approved by ODA for 8-18 year olds.
    • Go to  https://yqcaprogram.org/ for the training and quiz.
    • Instructions for using the new website can be found at: 2022 YQCA Website Instructions
    • Exhibitors must complete by June 30, 2025 or they will not be able to show at the Fairfield County Fair.
    • You will need to select the web-based training ($12.00 per member, annually). The age of the course should be age as of January 1st of the current year.
    • When you are finished, please send a pdf/picture of your certificate which includes exhibitor name(s) and certificate number(s) to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.

Livestock Tagging/Weighing and MQP Dates for 2025

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Get the tagging and weigh-in dates on your calendar.

The good news is . . . participation in livestock projects remains strong while muscle quality and performance carcass-based project participation continues to grow in Fairfield County. The rest of the good news is, although there will be a few changes, plans continue to accommodate all the livestock project participation that is being experienced. That said, for the most part weigh-in/tagging dates, as well as harvest dates will remain similar in 2025 to what they were in 2024.

The changes being considered involve the Beef Performance & Carcass Quality (BPCQ), Swine MQP and Goat MQP programs.

A third, optional, early harvest date for participants in the BPCQ is being added for those youth with early born calves who would like to conclude their carcass-based project in August. The youth participating in the August harvest will weigh/tag their BPCQ calves on February 1. The two later September beef harvest dates will also be maintained and calves being harvested then will be weighed/tagged along with the ‘live’ beef cattle on March 8. Youth had the opportunity to apply for BPCQ with an application deadline for the 2025 BPCQ contest of January 8, 2025 and on a first come, first served basis select their preferred harvest date.

Swine MQP will be considering two changes. First change being considered is pigs will be weighed/tagged in specifically for either the MQP or ‘live’ show. The pigs for each contest will be Continue reading Livestock Tagging/Weighing and MQP Dates for 2025 →

You’re invited – Jr. Fair Dairy Cattle Exhibitor Meeting: November 25th

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Sent on behalf of Fairfield County Junior Fair Dairy Cattle Superintendent:

Junior Fair Dairy Cattle Exhibitors and 4-H/FFA Advisors,

As a Fairfield County Junior Fair dairy cattle exhibitor family, the Junior Fair Dairy Cattle Superintendent is inviting you to come and talk about the 2024/2025 Dairy Shows on Monday, November 25th, 2024, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Fairfield County Ag Center/OSU Extension Office. We hope that you can join us at this open meeting!

Drug Use Notification Forms – due at NOON, Friday, October 4th for Market Beef/BEEF FEEDERS/DAIRY MARKET STEERS/Dairy Beef Feeders/Lactating Dairy Cows & Dairy Goats/Market Hogs/Market Goats/Market Lambs

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Animals must be drug free by weigh-in day of fair. Each member must complete a Drug Use Notification Form (DUNF) (http://go.osu.edu/fairfielddunf) form online for each animal they plan to exhibit prior to weigh-in at the fair. If the forms are not correctly completed, exhibitors will not be permitted to show. The link to the form will open on Monday, September 30th (as forms should be completed more than 5 days before fair weigh-in).

  • Animals requiring a DUNF indicating the animal is free from any/all drugs in its system on fair weigh-in/move-in day are:
    • Market Beef
    • NEW FOR 2024: BEEF FEEDER
    • NEW FOR 2024: DAIRY MARKET STEER
    • Dairy Beef Feeder
    • Dairy Cow (lactating)
    • MQP Hog
    • Market Barrow
    • Market Gilt
    • Market Goat
    • MQP Goat
    • Dairy Goat (lactating)
    • Market Chickens
    • Market Turkey
    • Market Duck
    • MQP Lamb
    • Market Lamb
    • Market Rabbit
  • Forms should be completed no sooner than 5 days prior to animal weigh-in to be sure that their animal is drug free during fair.
  • Forms submitted prior to that timeframe will be deleted and exhibitors will be asked to resubmit the DUNF form closer to their animal’s weigh-in. All animals being brought to the fair requiring DUNF forms will need to submit their forms by 12:00 p.m., Friday, October 4, 2024.
  • The only EXCEPTION to the Friday deadline will be Market Poultry and Market Rabbits who will complete DUNF Forms AFTER they receive tags/leg bands so they have identification information to enter into the DUNF Form. One form per pen of animals should be completed for Poultry and Rabbits. Deadline for poultry and rabbit exhibitors is MIDNIGHT on Saturday, October 5th.
  • Animals tagged with an EID 840 (15 digit tag) should include the last 6 digits in the identification field of the form.
  • Scrapie Tag numbers DO NOT need to be entered for market goats and market sheep – please use the last 6 digits of your EID 840 tag.
  • There should be ONE form submitted for each animal Exception: Each pen of rabbits and each pen of market chickens will need a form per pen.
  • Turkeys exhibitors will put N/A in the identification field.
  • Market Chicken exhibitors will put all 3 leg band numbers in the same identification field for their pen of chickens.
  • Market Rabbit exhibitors will put both tag numbers for their pair of rabbits in the identification field for their pen of rabbits.

Livestock Sale Updates for Fair (Sale Etiquette, Commissions, Add-On’s, Take Homes, Buyer Info)

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Livestock Sale Etiquette – Due to some concerns expressed from buyers and families, please make sure you review the Livestock Sale Etiquette fact sheet to learn the Do’s and Don’ts of Buyer communication.

Livestock Sale Update: Sale Commissions – Continuing for 2024: All dollars handled by the Livestock Sale Committee are subject to commission, not to exceed 4%. This includes direct to packer animals and all add-ons.

Livestock Sale Update: Add-Ons – Continuing for 2024: In order for an exhibitor to receive an add-on, the exhibitor must qualify for a sale slot as either an individual or in a group. Take Home animals are not able to receive add-ons. Parents and exhibitors should not be completing Add-On Forms on behalf of a buyer – it is the Buyer’s responsibility. Parents and exhibitors should not be including Add-On Forms in their buyer letters. Buyers can request an Add-On Form by contacting the Sale Clerk or picking up a paper copy on sale days. New for 2024: Add-On’s must be received by the Sale Clerk by 5:00 p.m. the last Saturday of fair week (Saturday, October 12th at 5:00 p.m.)

Livestock Sale Updates: Take Home Animals – The 2024 Fairfield County Fair Junior Fair will have a partial terminal sale/show for all species. This will allow for a Take Home option this year.

  • The exception to this is the 10 champions that must be slaughtered and inspected at a designated packer according to ODA (grand/reserve market beef, grand/reserve market dairy steer, grand/reserve market hog, grand/reserve market lamb, grand/reserve market goat).
  • Additionally, grand/reserve dairy beef feeders, grand/reserve market rabbits, grand/reserve market turkeys, grand/reserve market ducks, and grand/reserve market chickens will forfeit any take home option and must sell in the respective sale slots.
    • In the event that the buyer chooses to NOT KEEP any of the top non-terminal species (grand/reserve dairy beef feeders, grand/reserve market rabbits, grand/reserve market turkeys, grand/reserve market ducks, and grand/reserve market chickens), then the exhibitor may take their animal home if they completed a Take Home Form at weigh-in.
    • Any animal that does not have a packer bid (i.e. poultry) will be offered to the buyer, if turned, the owner is responsible for that animal.
  • Take homes will be allowed for all species with the exception of those all grand/reserve champions listed above.
  • Take homes must be declared before the animal leaves the scale during check-in (no exceptions). Exhibitors must express their intent to take home their animal by submitting the Take Home Form at weigh-in. Take Home Forms will be available from your Show Superintendent at weigh-in.
  • Take home animals will lose their sale slot and will not be eligible for a premium, packer bid, or add-on’s.
  • Exhibitors who do not take home must qualify for their sale slot (as individual or group) at the discretion of the species show committee.
  • Take Home animals will be released by the specie’s Superintendent. See Specie Department Rules and Junior Fair Schedule for details: https://go.osu.edu/fcjrbook.

Buyer Information

  • If exhibitors are aware of buyers who often choose to “KEEP” and wish to have animals processed for meat, it is important for the buyer to have arrangements made prior to fair with the harvest facility of their choice. This is due to limited availability for custom livestock harvest and processing capacity.
  • Please send buyers to the https://u.osu.edu/livestocksale/ website to review this information.