MQP

Swine MQP (carcass) Contest: NEW DEADLINE is April 15th / Also NEW this year, Swine MQP includes Gilts AND Barrows!

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Entries for the 2024 Fairfield County Jr. Fair Swine MQP programs are now being accepted. All MQP entries will be accepted on-line and are due on or before April 15.

Please note that some of the important MQP dates have changed as follows:

  • Barrows or – new for this year – gilts for MQP must be owned by June 29, 2024 and will be weighed this year at the Fairgrounds on that date. After 71 days on feed the barrows will return to the Fairgrounds for the contest conclusion on September 8, 2024.
  • Members must be enrolled in the Market Hog Project in 4-HONline by April 15th to be eligible for the Swine MQP Program.

Applications for any of these contests must be received on-line by April 15, 2024. Find more details about MQP and links to each of the application portals here: https://go.osu.edu/mqp

Goat MQP (carcass) Contest – NEW DEADLINE is April 15th

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Entries for the 2024 Fairfield County Jr. Fair Goat MQP programs are now being accepted. All MQP entries will be accepted on-line and are due on or before April 15.

Please note that some of the important MQP dates have changed as follows:

  • Goats for the MQP contest must be owned by May 18, 2024 and will be weighed-in on that date at the Fairgrounds. After 99 days on feed the Goat MQP contest will conclude at the Fairgrounds on Sunday, August 25, 2024.
  • Members must be enrolled in the Market Goat Project in 4-HOnline by April 15th to be eligible for the Goat MQP Program.

Applications for any of these contests must be received on-line by April 15, 2024. Find more details about MQP and links to each of the application portals here: https://go.osu.edu/mqp

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.

MQP Applications for Goats, Swine and Lambs are Due by April 15

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Note, some MQP dates have changed!

Entries for the 2024 Fairfield County Jr. Fair Goat, Swine, and Lamb MQP programs are now being accepted. All MQP entries will be accepted on-line and are due on or before April 15.

Please note that some of the important MQP dates have changed as follows:

  • Goats for the MQP contest must be owned by May 18, 2024 and will be weighed-in on that date at the Fairgrounds. After 99 days on feed the Goat MQP contest will conclude at the Fairgrounds on Sunday, August 25, 2024.
  • Lambs for the MQP contest must be owned by June 29, 2024 and will be weighed at the Fairgrounds on that date. After 64 days on feed the MQP lambs will be brought back to the Fairgrounds for the conclusion of the contest on September 1, 2024.
  • Barrows or – new for this year – gilts for MQP must be owned by June 29, 2024 and will be weighed this year at the Fairgrounds on that date. After 71 days on feed the barrows will return to the Fairgrounds for the contest conclusion on September 8, 2024.

Applications for any of these contests must be received on-line by April 15, 2024. Find more details about MQP and links to each of the application portals here: https://go.osu.edu/mqp

Join the 4-H Meat Judging Team! First Practice – Thursday, February 8th

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Youth interested in livestock are strongly encouraged to join the 2024 4-H Meat Judging Team! Practices start February 8th and continue through April. The State 4-H Meat Judging Contest will take place Saturday, April 27th at the Animal Science Building on the OSU Campus in Columbus. Reach out to Meat Judging Coach, Sarah Doner, if questions!

Beef Performance and Carcass Quality Contest Rules Released, Application Portal Open

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Apply to participate by January 12th

As it was announced in early November, in 2024 the Junior Fair Beef Performance and Carcass Quality contest entries – also known as BPCQ or the ‘carcass contest’ – will be harvested and evaluated hanging on the rail. Much like the other local county carcass-based program participants, youth in the BPCQ contest will now have the opportunity go into the meat cooler prior to Fair and see first hand the quality grade of their animal and learn how yield grade was evaluated.

In an effort to update the contest and base it on current day profitability factors, the details for scoring will also change in 2024. While still evaluating a combination of growth, performance and carcass characteristics, the final BPCQ contest rankings will be based on Continue reading Beef Performance and Carcass Quality Contest Rules Released, Application Portal Open →

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:  Swine (barrows or gilts) 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. (UPDATE: October 1 is confirmed as the cattle collection, weighing and photograph date for half of the BPCQ cattle.)

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.

Beef Performance and Carcass Quality Contest Cattle to be Harvested in 2024

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In 2024, Jr. beef exhibitors will get into the cooler and actually see what they produced!

In 1995 the Fairfield County Cattleman’s Association created a contest that allowed local junior beef exhibitors the opportunity to participate in a real-world beef production contest that rewarded participants for added market value traits. Continuing since that time the Beef Performance and Carcass Quality (BPCQ) contest has evaluated entries based on a combination of growth, performance, and carcass characteristics.

In the beginning the carcass characteristics of economic significance were evaluated for the contest in the Bay Packing meat cooler after the animal was harvested. In recent years the carcasses have been evaluated using ultrasound technology. In 2024 the carcass evaluation will return to the meat cooler.

While ultrasound technology has served the contest well for several years, it prevented youth from having the opportunity to see firsthand the meat quality of the animal they had raised. Much like the other local county carcass-based program participants, youth in the BPCQ contest will now have the opportunity go into the meat cooler prior to Fair and see first hand the quality grade of their animal and Continue reading Beef Performance and Carcass Quality Contest Cattle to be Harvested in 2024 →

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.

2023 Fairfield County Skillathon Scheduling is Now OPEN!

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The Fairfield County Junior Fair will require the completion of at least one Skillathon per 4-H/FFA exhibitor in order to show at 2023 Fairfield County Junior Fair for all beef, dairy, goat, poultry, rabbit (except Pet Rabbits), sheep, swine, dog, horse, alpaca/llama projects.
The Fairfield County Skillathon event will be held September 9th and 24th at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds. For additional Skillathon information, please review the 2023 Junior Fair Book.
  • Fairfield County youth interested in competing for any Fairfield County Premier Exhibitor Award must complete the COUNTY Skillathon in each respective specie they play to compete in.
    • Example: Exhibitor wishes to compete for Swine Premier Exhibitor Award and Poultry Premier Exhibitor Award must complete both the swine and poultry Fairfield County Skillathons on September 9th (swine) and 24th (poultry).
    • For more information about 2023 Premier Exhibitor Contests, please review this area of the 2023 Junior Fair Book.
  • Youth will be asked to complete a tiebreaker question at Skillathon – this will be used to break ties for Premier Exhibitor and/or Skillathon if needed.
  • Skillathon Species for Saturday, September 9th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. include: Beef, Dairy Beef, Swine, Sheep, Meat Goats, Dairy Cattle
  • Skillathon Species for Sunday, September 24th from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. include: Pygmy Goats, Dairy Goats, Horses, Alpacas/Llamas, Poultry Rabbits
  • Dog Exhibitors will complete the Skillathon at Dog Check-In Day on Saturday, August 26th from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Please note that Skillathon times are meant to schedule exhibitors throughout the day and we will do our best to stay on track with time. It is important for families to stick to their Skillathon time to keep our lines moving efficiently. Exhibitors will have 5 minutes per station and should be completed with Skillathon in 20-30 minutes ONCE they start through their respective Skillathon line.
  • Fairfield County Skillathons will take place at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds.
  • Scheduling for Skillathon is now open – click here to schedule for each Skillathon you wish to participate in: http://go.osu.edu/signup4skillathon.
  • Skillathon Awards: The Top Junior and Top Senior Skillathon Winner will receive an award. Additionally, the Top 20% of Juniors and Seniors will receive a ribbon at their respective specie’s show at the fair in October.