Dairy Beef Feeders

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

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Market animals will be checked-in June 29!

Today, Junior Fair Director Doug Shell released details for the rapidly approaching Jr. Fair market swine, lamb, goat and dairy feeder check-in.

Swine MQP: Shell is contacting each swine MQP exhibitor directly and will work with them in the coming days to get MQP pigs weighed and check-in.

Pigs checking in for the live show in October: Pigs will be check-in at the Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 29 between 7 a.m. and Noon. Prior to the 29th exhibitors must tag their pigs with an EID 840 tag unless the pigs already has one. Details for securing tags and tagging may be found linked at https://u.osu.edu/fairfield4h/category/tagging/

Swine exhibitors should enter the Fairgrounds gate on Fair Avenue with their tagged pigs between 7 a.m. and Noon on June 29 and upon arrival will be directed to follow the traffic line on the left, and proceed into the Ed Sands building. If pigs are being housed at a place other than the exhibitor’s residence, completed housing forms should be submitted on the 29th at check-in. Housing forms may be downloaded here.

Market lambs: Lambs will be Continue reading Details of Swine, Lamb, Goat and Dairy Feeder Check-in are Released →

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 2024:

  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2024.
  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 30, 2024.

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 2024:

  • 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 2nd from 6:30-8:30 p.m. or Saturday, May 18th from 9:00-11:00 a.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 2024, 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, 2024 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.

Quality Assurance should be completed for Ohio State Fair exhibitors by June 1st

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Fairfield County 4-H and FFA youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2024 to meet the 45 days prior to the Ohio State Fair exhibition (as required by the Ohio Department of Agriculture). Youth who do not meet this requirement, will have any entries denied.

If youth still need to complete Quality Assurance to meet this requirement and your club/chapter is not planning to host their own QA Clinic by June 1st, we recommend you complete QA through the Youth for the Quality Care of Animals online modules or attend the countywide makeup QA Trainings on May 2nd or May 18th.

  • In-Person Countywide Make-Up Clinics: To be held on Thursday, May 2nd from 6:30-8:30 p.m. or Saturday, May 18th from 9:00-11:00 a.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.
  • Online: Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA). This is the ONLY approved ONLINE Quality Assurance Program for youth in Ohio. For 2024, 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, 2024 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 name(s) and certificate number(s) to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.

Scholarship Opportunity: Dairy Farmers of America

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Five $1,000 at-large scholarships are available for Mideast Area college students. These scholarships are offered yearly to farmer-owners, their children and on-farm employees. There are no age or course of study restrictions.

Applications must be postmarked by June 7, 2024, and are available by emailing sbowman@dfamilk.com or can they can be downloaded from the Mideast Area section of the DFA farmer-only website, www.dfamilk.com.

Plans for tagging Market Lambs, Goats, Hogs and Dairy Beef Feeders in 2024 Announced

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Youth must tag their animals before arrival on June 29.

The time for tagging and weigh-in of Fairfield County’s dairy beef feeders, market lambs, market goats and market hogs is upon us. Based on the success of the tagging and weigh-in process that has been utilized in recent years, this year will be conducted in a similar fashion at the fairgrounds with only a few modifications.

This year’s check-in/weigh-in for dairy beef feeders, market lambs, market goats and market hogs will happen at the Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 29. The exception is that MQP goats will be weighed-in on May 18.

New this year, in advance of the check-in/weighing process youth will be required to tag their own market animals with an EID 840 tag (unless the animal already has an 840 EID tag). Visual numbered tags will not be provided or required this year but are optional and encouraged for all species.

EID tags and taggers for any market animals that do not already have an EID tag may be secured from the OSU Extension office during the normal office hours of 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. In order that the proper tags and taggers are ready for pick-up when requested, exhibitors are asked to log-in to https://go.osu.edu/fcmarkettags and make tag requests beginning now through June 24, 2024. Youth participating in Goat MQP should request their tags by May 15.

For more details regarding the tagging process, see this check list for tagging.

Details regarding check-in and weighing on June 29 will be announced soon.

Dairy Cattle Exhibitor Opportunity: April 20, DairyPalooza (Canfield)

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The Canfield Fairgrounds will host the 2024 DairyPalooza on April 20th from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event will feature QA training in the morning and a host of workshops in the afternoon. Registration is $10 and must be submitted by April 5. Late registrations will be accepted until the day of the event, but the registration fee will increase to $15. For additional details and information on how to register, check out the 2024 DairyPalooza Registration form.

2024 Ohio Dairy Palooza

When: Saturday, April 20, 2024

Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm; Registration begins at 8:00am

Where: Mahoning County at the Canfield Fairgrounds

7265 Columbiana-Canfield Rd., Canfield 44406

Enter in Gate 9 of the fairgrounds

Registration: https://go.osu.edu/2024dairypalooza

Pre-Registration due by April 5, 2024

Join us for a day filled with hands-on learning,

quality assurance sessions, and so much more!

 

What to Expect:

  • Hands-on learning with dairy cattle
  • Quality Assurance sessions
  • Special sessions for Cloverbuds, adults, and everyone in between
  • Dairy Cattle Showmanship and fitting demonstrations
  • And new this year, sessions on Dairy Beef Feeders (Nutrition & Fitting)

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to enhance your skills and knowledge in dairy cow projects!

See you there for a day of fun, education, and lots of moo-vement!

Registration Information:

  • Registration is $10 per person through April 5th
  • Registrations after April 5th will be $15 per person including walk-in registrations the day of the event.
  • Pre-registration due by April 5, 2024 (must be postmarked by April 5, 2024)
  • To register, go to https://go.osu.edu/2024dairypalooza
  • Print, complete, and send in your registration form and registration fee to:
    • DairyPalooza, c/o Lisa Gress, 9010 Critchfield Road, Shreve, OH 44676

You’re invited – Jr. Fair Dairy Cattle Exhibitor Meeting: December 4th

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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 2023/2024 Dairy Shows on Monday, December 4th, 2023, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Fairfield County Ag Center/OSU Extension Office. We hope that you can join us at this open meeting!

New Livestock Tagging/Weighing and MQP Dates for 2024

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Several dates including tagging, weigh-in, and MQP conclusion have changed!

A Greek philosopher once said, “the only constant in life is change.” If you plan to participate in large animal market livestock projects at the 2024 Fairfield County Jr. Fair, that couldn’t be truer.

Due to a quirk in the 2024 calendar, some historic calendar conflicts, and the move to harvesting the Beef Performance and Carcass Quality animals in 2024 several adjustments have been made to the calendar for goat, lamb, swine, beef and dairy feeder project participants. In 2024 weigh-in and tagging will be held the last Saturday in June, and the schedule for the MQP projects will also change. Specifically, the dates for 2024 that were approved by the Sr. Fair Board at their November 4th meeting include:

March 9:  Market Beef weigh-in

May 18:  Goat MQP weigh-in

June 29:  Dairy feeder weigh-in, market goat tag check-in, market hog (including MQP) tag check-in, market lamb (including MQP) tag check-in.

August 25:  Goat MQP conclusion

September 1:  Lamb MQP conclusion

September 8:  Barrow MQP conclusion

September 24:  Beef Performance & Carcass Quality (beef carcass contest) conclusion

October 1:  If participation exceeds capacity for the 24th, date for second Beef Performance & Carcass Quality (beef carcass contest) conclusion

Place these dates on your calendar and more information and detail about tagging and weigh-in will be released as soon as it becomes available.

Drug Use Notification Forms – due at NOON, Friday, October 6th for Market Beef/Dairy Market 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, October 2nd (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
    • Dairy Beef Feeder
    • Dairy Cow (lactating)
    • MQP Barrow
    • Market Barrow
    • Market Gilt
    • Market Goat
    • Dairy Goat (lactating)
    • Market Chicken
    • Market Turkey
    • Market Duck
    • MQP Lamb
    • Market Lamb
    • Market Rabbit (new for 2023)
  • 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 6, 2023.
  • 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 7th.
  • 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.

Dairy Cattle Exhibitors – Read this to prepare for Skillathon!

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2023 Skillathons will include 4 stations – Project Interview, Breeds, Parts, and Feed Identification. All information on breeds, parts, and feeds is available in your 4-H Dairy Resource Book. And for Dairy Beef Feeders, this also is available in the 4-H Beef Resource Book. Dairy Beef Feeder exhibitors will have the option to identify parts on the dairy or beef posters. Breeds will cover dairy cattle only.

FFA Exhibitors are encouraged to check with their FFA Chapter to see if Skillathon or 4-H Resource Books are available to study as many chapters do have these items as classroom resources. If not, 4-H Resource Books are available for purchase from the OSU Extension Office year round and can be used multiple years by all family members.

127 CA/127CO/127He – 4-H Dairy Calf/Cow/Heifer Exhibitors: With the revision of the 4-H 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 2023 Dairy Cattle Focus Questions.  Please use these when completing your Dairy Project and Record Book.

Project Record Books for 4-H and FFA should be for the CURRENT project year and as up to date as possible on Skillathon day. Project Books will be reviewed on Skillathon days. They will be returned to you at the fair during your specie’s show.

We look forward to seeing your completed book at Skillathon.