Livestock

Countywide (make-up) Youth Quality Assurance Trainings: May 7th and May 22nd (RSVP required)

by

The FIRST of two make-up countywide Quality Assurance Clinics will be held Saturday, May 7th at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds (Ed Sands/Farm Bureau Building) from 9:00-10:30 a.m. Advanced registration is required. RSVP by completing the survey at this link. Please arrive on time so we can get the training started promptly at 9:00 a.m.

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. This includes the following projects: Beef (Breeding & Market); Dairy Breeding & Dairy Feeders; Goats (Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy); Poultry (Breeding & Market); Sheep (Breeding & Market); Swine; Rabbits (Breeding & Market), and Alpacas/Llamas.
Members are required to attend one Quality Assurance Clinic taught by a certified instructor. Members should sign in at the beginning of the clinic and complete a questionnaire at the end of the clinic. Please return the questionnaire to an adult instructor at the clinic.

The SECOND QA Clinic will be Sunday, May 22nd from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m., in the Ed Sands/Farm Bureau Building. Advanced registration is required. RSVP by completing the survey at this link.

County Skillathon Awards to be added for 2022 – Sponsors needed!

by

Fairfield County Skillathons will return this year and we are excited to incentive and recognize those youth who do exceptionally well in their respective species. Skillathons will continue in 2022 as a required portion of project completion for livestock projects and exhibition at the Fairfield County Junior Fair.

Skillathons will be offered for all beef, dairy, goat, poultry, rabbit (except Pet Rabbits), sheep, swine, dog, horse, alpaca/llama projects. Skillathons may include (but are not limited to) animal
anatomy/body parts, breeding and reproduction, feeds and nutrition, current events, diseases and animal health, equipment ID, feed ID, Quality Assurance, breeds, marketing, meats, and recordkeeping.

Youth must complete at least one Skillathon, but may participate in more than one species. If youth wishes to participate in the Premier Exhibitor contest s/he must complete the county Skillathon for that species. Additional information will be shared in the 2022 Junior Fair Rules Book. Ohio State Fair Skillathons may be used to fulfill the county requirement, unless youth is participating in
Premier Exhibitor.

Save the Dates:

  • Aug. 27, 2022 – Fairfield County Skillathon for Dogs
  • Sept. 10, 2022 – Fairfield County Skillathon for Beef, Dairy Cattle, Dairy Feeders, Meat Goat, Sheep, Swine
  • Sept. 25, 2022 – Fairfield County Skillathon for Rabbit, Poultry, Horse, Alpaca/Llama, Pygmy & Dairy Goat

We will continue to recognize the Top 20% of exhibitors in each species.

Additional awards will be added in 2022 for the 1st Place Junior and Top Senior in each species. Awards for each 1st Place Junior and Senior will include a personalized tumbler and $25 gift card. Sponsors are needed as follows:

  • 1st Place Junior Dairy Cattle Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Lynette Mattox
  • 1st Place Senior Dairy Cattle Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Lori King
  • 1st Place Junior Dairy Beef Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by the Hamilton Family
  • 1st Place Senior Dairy Beef Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Huber Contracting
  • 1st Place Junior Beef Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by the Cooksey Family
  • 1st Place Senior Beef Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by the Caryn Filson Family
  • 1st Place Junior Swine Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by the Cooksey Family
  • 1st Place Senior Swine Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Ryan and Amber Hoisington
  • 1st Place Junior Sheep Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by L-S Club Lambs
  • 1st Place Senior Sheep Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Grant Martin
  • 1st Place Junior Horse Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Tina Kern
  • 1st Place Senior Horse Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Tina Kern
  • 1st Place Junior Meat/Market Goat Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Krile Communications
  • 1st Place Senior Meat/Market Goat Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Krile Communications
  • 1st Place Junior Dairy Goat Skillathon – $50 Sponsor
  • 1st Place Senior Dairy Goat Skillathon – $50 Sponsor
  • 1st Place Junior Pygmy Goat Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by the Hamilton Family
  • 1st Place Senior Pygmy Goat Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Krile Communications
  • 1st Place Junior Poultry Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Keefer Contractors
  • 1st Place Senior Poultry Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Keefer Contractors
  • 1st Place Junior Rabbit Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Amy Sahr
  • 1st Place Senior Rabbit Skillathon – $50 Sponsored by Krile Communications
  • 1st Place Junior Alpaca/Llama Skillathon – $50 Sponsor
  • 1st Place Senior Alpaca/Llama Skillathon – $50 Sponsor
  • 1st Place Junior Dog Skillathon – $50 Sponsor
  • 1st Place Senior Dog Skillathon – $50 Sponsor

If you are interested in sponsoring any of these NEW awards for 2022, please contact Junior Fair Awards Coordinator, Carrie Stoneburner at fairfieldcountyjrfairawards@gmail.com. Carrie can also be reached by phone at 740-503-7141 (please leave a message if she is unable to take your call).

Below is a sample mock up of what the tumblers may look like for different species.

Attention Livestock Exhibitors: Quality Assurance Updates

by

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 Feeders; Goats (Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy); Poultry (Breeding & Market); Sheep (Breeding & Market); Swine; Rabbits (Breeding & Market), and Alpacas/Llamas.

Deadlines for 2022:

  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2022.
  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 30, 2022

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 2022:

  • 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 (which took place on March 14th and March 28th). 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 Saturday, May 7th from 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. and Sunday, May 22nd from 12:00 p.m.- 1:30 p.m. in the Ed Sands Building at the Fairgrounds. 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 2022, this web-based course has been approved by ODA for 8-18 year olds.
    • Go to  https://yqcaprogram.org/ for the training and quiz. 3
    • Instructions for using the new website can be found at: 2022 YQCA Website Instructions
    • Exhibitors must complete by June 30, 2022 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).
    • When you are finished, please send name(s) and certificate number(s) to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.

Goat, Barrow and Lamb MQP Information/Deadlines Announced

by

MQP participants explore producing meat animals that satisfy consumer demands!

Entries for the 2022 Fairfield County Junior Fair Goat, Barrow and Lamb MQP programs are now being accepted. To be considered for a spot in either the 2022 Barrow MQP or Lamb MQP, a completed application and essay (not to exceed 300 words) must be submitted on-line by the end of business on May 2, 2022. Goat MQP participants must complete registration on-line by the end of business on May 2, 2022, but are not required to submit an essay this year in order to participate.

Note that MQP goats must be in the exhibitor’s possession by June 1, 2022 and will be weighed/tagged-in at the Fairgrounds between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on June 4, 2022. The finished MQP goats must then be returned to the Fairgrounds for the conclusion on Sunday, August 28 at 3 p.m.

The same as pigs being tagged for the live show at the Fair, MQP barrows must be in the exhibitor’s possession by July 15th, and tagged at the Fairgrounds on July 16, 2022 at a time that morning yet to be announced. The finished MQP barrows must then be Continue reading →

Ohio 4-H Animal Science Youth Events, Dates, and Resources

by

Attached is a calendar with the dates of State 4-H and Ohio State Fair youth livestock/animal science events: 2022 State 4-H Animal Sciences Calendar.  Also, below, are links to pages where you can find resources by animal project area. 😊

Other good information on livestock can be found on the extension team pages:

Market Goat MQP Exhibitor Meeting Set for March 23

by

Learn more about the new Goat MQP contest on March 23rd

Local market goat exhibitors now have a new opportunity where they can expand their knowledge of the meat goat industry by participating in a meat quality and performance project similar to what other large animal market projects have enjoyed in Fairfield County.

The Goat Muscle Quality and Performance (MQP) contest will evaluate entries based on a combination of goat growth, performance, and carcass characteristics in order to identify a contest winner. Very similar to the way the Lamb MQP contest is conducted, Goat MQP will begin with exhibitors weighing in their young goats at the Fairgrounds in early June. These goats will then return home with the exhibitor, be fed to an appropriate finish weight, and then return to the Fairgrounds for final weigh-in and transport to a local packing house for harvest in late August. Once harvested, the goats will be evaluated and ranked based on a combination of factors including carcass weight, fat thickness, ribeye area and performance. Performance will account for 30% of the total contest score with the goat carcass score accounting for the remaining 70% of the score.

To learn more about this new contest, interested exhibitors, their families and advisors are invited to a meeting in the Continue reading →

Y-City Feed & Supply hosts 2022 Lamb & Goat Clinic in Zanesville February 27th, 2022

by

Youth raising lambs and goats are invited to the Y-City Feed & Supply 2022 Lamb and Goat Clinic at 1:00 p.m. on February 27th. The event will take place at 400 Pleasant Grove Road, Zanesville, OH 43701.

What to expect from both clinics…

  • General Nutrition
  • Selection
  • Fitting/Grooming
  • Exercise

They ask that you bring a notebook and yourselves! They will be recording this opportunity and will post it to their Youtube as well as a link to their Facebook. You can find more info about the clinic on their Facebook page @ Y-City Feed & Supply and direct any questions to that page as well!

A little about their presenters.

Our goat presenter, James Maynard grew up on a farm in Fairfield county, where he and his family competitively showed lambs, goats and hogs. James graduated with his Bachelor’s from The Ohio State University in 2012 and Master’s from Louisiana State University in 2015, both in the field of Animal Science. Alongside his wife Hayley and son Beckett, James owns and operates Maynard Boer Goats, a 100 head operation located in Baltimore, Ohio focused on producing competitive show wethers.

Our lamb presenters, Madison Banbury & Dave Hayhurst own and operate Banbury Hayhurst Livestock in Shreve, Ohio. They run between 75-80 Crossbred Ewes and focus on providing a hands-on program to youth involved in the show lamb industry across Ohio and beyond. They’re endorsed by Dac Show Contender, Sullivan Supply, Umbarger Show Feeds, and Sure Champ/Joint Juice.

Any questions please call 740-487-1000  OR you can text/call 740-704-9939.

*Please note that OSU Extension does not endorse any one feed, product, or business over another.

Goat Muscle Quality and Performance Contest is Created for Local Goat Exhibitors

by

Participant in the new Goat MQP contest will begin by weighing and tagging their goats in late May!

Livestock producers know that raising an animal that possesses carcass and meat quality traits that are important to the consumer is vital to a successful livestock enterprise. Those same producers also realize performance is an important component of profitability with their livestock. Resulting from the effort and encouragement of the Fairfield County Goat Committee, now, beginning in 2022, local junior market goat exhibitors will have the opportunity to participate in a real-world market goat production contest that rewards participants for excelling at producing both those added market value traits.

The Goat Muscle Quality and Performance (MQP) contest will evaluate entries based on a combination of growth, performance, and carcass characteristics to identify a contest winner. Very similar to the way the Lamb MQP contest is conducted, Goat MQP will begin with exhibitors weighing in their young goats at the Fairgrounds. These goats will return home with the exhibitor, be fed to an appropriate finish weight, and then returned to the Fairgrounds for final weigh-in and transport to a local packing house for harvest. Once harvested, the goats will be Continue reading →

Virtual Show Clinic Opportunity: Road to the Winners Circle

by

Rural King is pleased to offer this FREE ON LINE SEMINAR to get ready for SHOW SEASON! They will also be discussing breeding beef, pigs and goats.

WHEN- Tuesday, February 15th,  2022 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. ET

Please RSVP using the QR code in the invitation or click on the link below.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rural-king-show-edge-virtual-show-event-registration-250917319457

Everyone who attends will receive a nice care package from Nutrena after the seminar! Feel free to share with all your contacts and 4-H groups!