Ross County Extension invites you to their Sheep Clinic on May 15th, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. Out-of-county youth are welcome! For more information and to RSVP, contact the Ross County Extension Office at 740-702-3200.
Livestock
Free Online Course for Youth in Animal Agriculture – Offered by Iowa State University
We recently learned about a free online course for youth in animal agriculture. All livestock exhibitors are encouraged to check this out! This could be added as one of your project experiences in your 4-H book and/or added to your 4-H Junior Achievement Form or Ohio 4-H Achievement Form! The target audience for this course is youth ages 13-18. Read on for more information!
Excellence in Exhibition: Preventing Disease in Animals and People – A Free Online Course for Youth in Animal Agriculture http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/YouthInAg/
Raising and showing livestock help youth develop responsibility, learn good sportsmanship, and gain confidence. While raising and showing animals have an overall positive impact on youth and the community, there are many animal diseases that can be spread between people and animals, especially when people have close contact with animals. Several animal related disease outbreaks, such as variant influenza A virus of swine (H3N2v) and enteric disease outbreaks caused by pathogens such as E. coli, have been associated with fairs in recent years. In many instances, these events resulted in severe illness in youth. Youth livestock projects can also present disease transmission risks to animals due to the comingling of various animals and animal species from different locations.
Understanding disease risks and preventive measures is critical to reduce the occurrence of zoonotic diseases among youth associated with animal agriculture. Awareness of these risks can help youth to understand the importance of disease prevention for themselves, their animals, and the public.
The Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Public Health and with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists created an online course to teach youth about zoonotic diseases, “Excellence in Exhibition: Preventing Disease in Animals and People”. Targeted at youth aged 13–18 years, the free online course is meant to encourage showmanship and animal involvement while keeping both animals and humans safe and healthy.
For more information: YouthInAg@iastate.edu
Take the course: http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/YouthInAg/
What is a VFD? Important Information for Junior Fair Livestock Exhibitors!
What is a VFD? VFD stands for Veterinary Feed Directive.
A VFD is a written (nonverbal) statement issued by a licensed veterinarian that authorizes the use of an approved VFD drug or combination VFD drug in or on an animal feed. This written statement authorizes the client (owner of the animal) to obtain and use animal feed bearing or containing a VFD drug or combination VFD drug to treat the client’s animals only in accordance with the conditions for use approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). (1) The client (youth producer) must establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) to be able to get a VFD. This is true whether the 4-H member has one food-producing animal or several.
When must the VFD be implemented? January 1, 2017. Starting January 1, 2017, you can no longer stop by a feed store and buy a bag of medicated feed containing certain types of antibiotics that were previously classified as over-the counter (OTC) drugs. As of January 1, 2017, the FDA requires that clients have a VFD to be able to purchase animal feeds containing these antibiotics.
Refer to the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) Fact Sheet for 4-H Youth Livestock Producers and Families if you have questions about VFD, or contact a veterinarian. A VFD Fact Sheet can be found here.
This is especially important because of the need for youth to establish a Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship with a veterinarian in case the veterinarian needs to write a Veterinary Feed Directive or a prescription for antibiotics to treat livestock. For additional questions, please contact your local veterinarian or contact the OSU Extension Office at 740-652-7260.
ODA Rule Updates effective 3/23/3017 for Quality Assurance
The Ohio Department of Agriculture recently made an update to the Ohio Administrative Code 901-19-07 Quality Assurance as of 3/23/2017. In addition to reviewing this information, please note that the Fairfield County Junior Fair Quality Assurance Requirements for livestock exhibitors are printed in the 4-H Member’s Handbook and will be printed in the Fairfield County Junior Fair Book which will be posted online soon. Fairfield County youth exhibiting livestock at the 2017 Ohio State Fair and/or Fairfield County Junior Fair are required to complete Quality Assurance by June 30th, 2017 (no exceptions) and this must be an approved Quality Assurance event taught by a Certified Instructor or Assistant Instructor. For questions, please contact our office at 740-652-7260.
The complete listing under Quality Assurance as outlined in the Ohio Administrative Code 901-19-07 Quality Assurance reads as follows:(please notice that the information included in section (C) is the updated part of this Rule):
901-19-07 Quality assurance.
This is a mandatory rule.
(A) Except as stated in paragraph (B) of this rule, sponsors shall require exhibitors at fairs sponsored by county or independent agricultural societies or the Ohio exposition commission to annually attend or complete a quality assurance program sponsored and conducted cooperatively by the exhibition sponsor, Ohio state university extension, Ohio agricultural education, or agricultural commodity organizations.
(B) At the discretion of Ohio state university extension, or Ohio agricultural education, an exhibitor may pass a test based on the appropriate skill level for their age (twelve to fourteen or fifteen to eighteen) under the supervision of Ohio state university extension or Ohio agricultural education before exhibiting terminal or partial terminal market livestock, including market poultry, lactating dairy cattle and lactating goats in a junior livestock show. Youth who pass the test will be exempt from annual quality assurance re-certification until they move to the next age bracket or they are no longer a junior exhibitor (nineteen years of age or older on January first of their last year). Minimum standards for youth food animal quality assurance are as set forth in appendix A to this rule.
(C) Exhibitors who fail to attend or complete a quality assurance program or fail to pass the exam as outlined in paragraph (B) of this rule may be subject to the disciplinary actions listed in rule 901-19-21 of the Administrative Code.
Effective: 3/23/2017
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 03/21/2021
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 901.72
Rule Amplifies: 901.72
Prior Effective Dates: 05/01/97, 03/19/99, 03/25/00, 02/15/03, 02/13/04, 02/19/07, 02/19/2008, 03/21/2016
Oklahoma 4-H Wildfire Relief
Assist Oklahoma families affected by the devastating wildfires that occurred in Oklahoma as well as Kansas and Texas. Oklahoma 4-H, is asking for donations in the form of pre-paid gift cards (VISA, Discover, etc.). As families have lost homes, clothes, fencing, livestock feed, equipment, etc., it is impossible to determine one thing that is needed most by families. It would be wonderful to have cards in $50 increments; however, any generous support will gladly be accepted.
Donations can be mailed to: Oklahoma 4-H: Wildfire Relief, 205 4-H Youth Development Building, Stillwater OK 74078. As donations are not being submitted to a foundation, so a tax exemption statement will not be issued. Contact:Kevin Allen, Ph.D., Assistant Director and State 4-H Program Leader, Phone: 405.744.5394, E-mail: kevin.allen@okstate.edu
Helping Cattlemen with Wildfire Relief – How You Can Help…
By now you’re well aware of the devastating wildfires that destroyed most everything in their path on a million and a half acres across the states surrounding the Oklahoma panhandle. It goes without saying our thoughts and prayers are with the families that have suffered from the destruction of life and property resulting from these fires. Many have asked what can be done to help. This would be a great community service project for 4-H Clubs and Families. For more information, visit Stan Smith’s post on the Fairfield County Cattlemen’s Association blog site at this link.
Fairfield County Spring Horse Clinic is 4/21/2017
Fairfield County Horse Advisors would like to invite you to their Spring Clinic: “Everything You Want to Know About Groom and Clean and Other State Activities.” Dani Seitner will be their guest speaker. It will be held in the Feeder Creek Vet Show Arena on April 21st, 2017 from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. For more information, please find the event flyer here: Spring Horse Clinic Flyer. Additionally, this event will count as an item on the 2017 Horse Waiver. Click here for the Horse Waiver Form: 2017 Fairfield County Junior Fair Dog – Horse Waiver.
Dairy Palooza – 2 Dates and 2 Locations! Approved QA Opportunity!
DAIRY PALOOZA – TWO Dates and TWO Locations. Quality Assurance Training offered at both locations. This Quality Assurance will meet the Fairfield County Quality Assurance requirement for livestock exhibitors who plan to show at the 2017 Fairfield County Junior Fair.
Dairy Palooza West: April 29, 2017 @ Auglaize County Fairgrounds – Wapakoneta, OH
Dairy Palooza Northeast: April 22, 2017 @ Wayne County Fairgrounds – Wooster, OH
Registration is required. Info can be found at http://ohiodairypalooza.com
OSU Youth Poultry Workshop is 4/22/2017
An OSU Youth Poultry Workshop will be held on Saturday, April 22nd, 2017 at the OSU Columbus campus Animal Sciences Building. A link to the flyer is posted at www.poultry.osu.edu on the Calendar of Events page. The cost is $10.00 per person if postmarked by April 10th, 2017, and $20.00 per person same-day registration. Participants will learn how to evaluate and select birds for meat and eggs, how to quality grade meat carcasses and eggs, basic handling and showmanship techniques, as well as prepare for the Ohio State Fair youth poultry events – judging contest, skillathon, and avian bowl. There will NOT be Quality Assurance offered at this state event.
Youth Poultry Clinic – OARDC Wooster on 3/25/2017
A Youth Poultry Clinic will be held on Saturday, March 25th, 2017, at OARDC in Wooster. Registration is $20.00 per person and must be postmarked by Friday, March 17th, 2017. There will be a statewide QA session offered at this clinic. This will meet the county QA requirement for the Fairfield County Junior Fair. Info can be found at www.poultry.osu.edu on the Calendar of Events page or contact Leslie at cooksey.25@osu.edu.