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

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

New for 2024 Fairfield County Junior Fair: Homegrown Market Lamb Class

The Junior Fair Sheep Committee has added a new class for the Junior Fair Market Lamb Show for 2024. Read on for further details:

Homegrown Market Lamb Division (new for 2024)

  1. To be eligible, entries must be born from a ewe owned by the exhibitor prior to January 1st of the current year and raised at the 4-H/FFA member’s immediate family property or family property that adjoins the exhibitor’s residence (i.e. grandparents, aunt/uncle) in Fairfield County. Proof of ownership of the ewe will be in the form of registration papers, farm Scrapie tag, or Scrapie tag with an accompanying bill of sale.
  2. Entry must be one of the exhibitor’s junior fair market lamb projects. Lambs must be born after January 1st of the current year.
  3. The market lamb selected to be shown in the homegrown market lamb show will be included in the general market classes.
  4. Homegrown market lamb class will be held separately – before the general market lamb show, and only one lamb per exhibitor will be permitted to show in this class.
  5. The top five (5) places will be selected and receive an award. The Champion Homegrown Market Lamb selected will sell 6th in the overall sale order (unless it places either Grand or Reserve Grand Champion in the general market lamb show or the exhibitor is selected as the Sheep Premier Exhibitor).
  6. Exhibitors must complete the Homegrown Market Lamb Intent Form (http://go.osu.edu/homegrownmktlamb) as soon as possible following the birth of their Homegrown Market Lamb(s). This will notify the Sheep Committee to make a farm visit within two weeks of lambing.
    • **Please note that for 2024, we know that more than two weeks has likely passed since the birth of lambs that could be used for this project. If this is something you would like to do for 2024, please complete the intent form ASAP so that a farm visit can be scheduled by the committee.**
  7. All entries must agree to a market lamb committee member(s) entering their barn/housing unit for visual inspection of animals. Failure to do so will lead to immediate disqualification.
  8. Homegrown Market Lamb(s) must take part in June weigh-in at the fairgrounds. No exceptions.

Youth Opportunity: Livestock Judging Webinar Series starts January 24th

The  Ohio 4-H Animal Science Design Team Livestock Evaluation committee has been working with OSU livestock judging coaches, Matthew Chaney and Seth Ebert to host a series of livestock judging webinars. Each month we will focusing on a new topic/species in helping youth across the state prepare for various contests available to them. Please share with parents, coaches, and any youth who might have an interest in livestock evaluation.

DATE: Monthly TBD

TIME: 7:00–8:00 p.m.

LOCATION: ZOOM –  go.osu.edu/livestockevaluation

  • January 24 – Let’s Start a Team
  • February – Beef 101
  • March – Swine 101
  • April – Sheep 101
  • May – Goats 101
  • June – EPDs & Scenarios
  • July – Reasons, Part 1
  • July – Reasons, Part 2

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

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!

Livestock Exhibitor Opportunity: Ohio 4-H Animal Science Virtual Judging Contest

Announcing the 3rd annual Ohio 4-H Animal Science Virtual Judging Contest brought to you by JudgingPro.com.
  • The contest will begin on January 25th and will last for 6 weeks.
  • Classes will be posted every Thursday and will close on Sunday at 11:59 pm.
  • The link to participate will be posted each week.
  • Please complete the survey to submit your response.
  • Results will be uploaded on Monday at: https://go.osu.edu/judgingprocontest
  • It is open to anyone and FREE to participate.
Age divisions are as follows:
  • Novice: 3-7
  • Junior: 8-11
  • Intermediate: 12-14
  • Senior: 15-18
  • Advanced: 19+
Participate each week for the chance to be named the Ohio 4-H Animal Science Virtual Judging Contest Champion. Please reach out to 4hanimalscience@osu.edu with any questions. More resources and study materials are located at JudgingPro.com.
Don’t forget to include this in your 4-H and FFA record books as a learning opportunity/experience for this year!
May be an image of text that says '3RD ANNUAL OHIO 4-H ANIMAL SCIENCE VIRTUAL JUDGING CONTEST CONTEST BEGINS JANUARY 25TH P COURTESY OF JUDGING PRO -NOVICE (3- (3-7] -JUNIOR (8- 1] -INTERMEDIATE [12- 14] -SENIOR (15- 18) -ADVANCED (19+) THE .H OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ENVIROMENTAL Ohio 4-H Animal Sciences 2029 Animal Science Building'

New Livestock Tagging/Weighing and MQP Dates for 2024

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.

You’re invited – Jr. Fair Sheep Exhibitor Meeting: November 14th

Sent on behalf of Fairfield County Junior Fair Sheep Superintendents: 

Junior Fair Sheep Exhibitors and 4-H/FFA Advisors,

As a Fairfield County Junior Fair sheep exhibitor family, the Junior Fair Sheep Superintendents are inviting you to come and talk about the 2023/2024 Sheep Shows on Tuesday, November 14th, 2023, beginning at 7 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 6th for Market Beef/Dairy Market Feeders/Lactating Dairy Cows & Dairy Goats/Market Hogs/Market Goats/Market Lambs

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.