Sheep

Meat Animal Muscle, Quality & Performance projects; We want your opinion

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The goal of any livestock project is to teach youth about the product they are raising to enter the food chain.

We want your opinion! Are there things we can do that might enhance the learning experience of our muscle quality and performance projects  – aka: MQP or carcass shows?

Linked here is a brief survey we are asking anyone involved in Fairfield County’s youth beef, swine, lamb or goats projects to complete as we explore ways that might make the carcass contests easier for youth to complete, and also more meaningful. At the same time, the Goat Show Committee is exploring the addition of a Goat Muscle Quality and Performance contest and there are a few questions included to assess the interest in that.

When a 4-H or FFA youth decides to raise and show a market project at the Fairfield County Fair, he or she knows they are raising a project destined to enter the world’s most nutritious and safe food supply. The goal of any livestock project is to teach youth about the Continue reading →

Sign up now for the Livestock Judging Contest!

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Livestock Judging Contest: Sunday, October 10,  9 a.m., East side of the Swine Barn
Contest to follow beginning at 9:30 a.m., at the Swine Barn

Superintendent: James Maynard
Assistant Superintendent: Hayley Maynard

Please sign up for the contest using this link

READ THE GENERAL RULES AND HEALTH REGULATIONS

The contest will be conducted in two divisions: Senior (ages 14-18), Junior (ages 8-13).

  1. All ages are as of January 1st of the current year.
  2. Rules and conditions apply to both divisions.
  3. When available, one class from each of the following will be used: Market Hogs, Breeding Gilts, Market Lambs, Breeding Ewes, Market Goats, Breeding Goats, and Market Beef Steers and Breeding Beef Heifers.
  4. Livestock entered in the Junior Fair and/or Open classes and housed at the fair are subject to be used for the Livestock Judging Contest.
  5. Committee members have the right to bring in outside livestock to fill classes, if not enough animals are made available from FFA and 4-H members on Sunday of the fair. Animals brought to the fairgrounds must be checked by a veterinarian before setting foot on the fairgrounds.
  6. For each species there will be at least one placing class and one questions class.
  7. The scores will be computed by the committee in charge and displayed.
  8. For Junior Fair Premier Exhibitor purposes, all participants will be grouped into one group per species (regardless of age) and ranked.
  9. Tiebreakers for Livestock Judging Contest Awards shall be (in order):
    a) The highest total score for all questions and answers.
    b) Most consistency of class scores – narrowest spread from high to low score.
    c) Highest score on one set of oral reasons given on a class of the participant’s choice, given to Contest Superintendent(s).

DUNF: Drug Use Notification Forms – MUST be completed before WEIGH-IN (do not submit until after Oct. 7th)!

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DUNF Forms – These will be completed online this year. I would suggest that exhibitors should not fill them out until as close to weigh-in/move-in day as possible to ensure the information is correct and their market/lactating animal is drug free moving into fair. The link to the online DUNF Form is in the specie rules of the Junior Fair Book (under Health Papers).

A direct link to the DUNF is: http://go.osu.edu/fairfielddunf. If someone submits a form with errors, please have them contact Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu so we can delete that record and they will be asked to submit a new form.

Online DUNF Instructions – Fairfield

Market Poultry exhibitors will not have identification until fair weigh-in for their birds. Please put TBD in the identification field and we will update your form after weigh-in.

As a reminder:

Valid and current Drug Use Notification Forms (DUNF) must be submitted on-line immediately prior to the Fairfield County Fair  for each market or lactating animal that is exhibited by a youth participating in Junior Fair. Animals requiring a DUNF indicating the animal is free from any/all drugs in it’s system on fair weigh-in/move-in day are:

  • Market Beef (Steer or Heifer)
  • 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

A separate form must be completed for each animal being brought to the Fair. If the information on the form regarding drug use changes or if a drug is subsequently administered at any time after the drug use notification form is filed, an updated drug use notification form shall immediately be filed with the records official (contact Leslie Cooksey information if a second form must be submitted).

Forms should be completed no sooner than 3 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.

  • MQP Barrows will weigh-in on Sunday, September 26th. (submit your form between the 24th and 26th)
  • MQP Lambs will weigh-in on Sunday, October 3rd. (submit your form between the 1st and 3rd)
  • All other animals being brought to the fair requiring DUNF forms will need to submit their forms after October 7th and by Saturday, October 9th.

To submit your form for each animal, begin by going to this link.

Take Home Forms – Market Livestock

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Take Home Forms: Market Hogs, Market Beef, Market Lambs, Market Goats, Dairy Feeders, and Market Rabbits will have the option to take home animals. Forms must be completed and 2 copies per specie turned in at that specie’s weigh-in (see form for details). There is no reversal on the decision to take home once the forms are turned in.

Please read the info below (also available at u.osu.edu/livestocksale) regarding Take Homes and the 2021 Livestock Sale:

During their regular monthly meeting on March 16, 2021, the Fairfield County Sr. Fair Board passed a motion declaring the 2021 Jr. Fair Livestock Sale will be “partial terminal.” Specifically, that motion reads:

The 2021 Fairfield County Fair Junior Fair will have a partial terminal sale/show for all species. The only exception to this is the 8 champions that must be slaughtered and inspected at a designated packer according to ODA (grand/reserve market beef, grand/reserve market hog, grand/reserve market lamb, grand/reserve market goat). Take homes will be allowed for all species with the exception of those 8 declared grand/reserve champions. Take homes must be declared before the animal leaves the scale during check-in (no exceptions). Take home animals will lose their sale slot and will not be eligible for a premium and packer bid. Exhibitors who do not take home must qualify for their sale slot (as individual or group) at the discretion of the species show committee.

As a result, points for exhibitors of market animals to consider include:

  1. Since there is no packer bid available, all market turkeys, market chickens and market ducks will go back home at the conclusion of the Fair as in past years. No Exhibitor Intent to Take Market Animal Home affidavit is required for those poultry animals. Buyers of the Grand and Reserve Champion turkeys, chickens and ducks have the privilege of ‘keeping’ their purchases. Similar to 2016 and prior, beyond the champions it will be the responsibility of the exhibitor to decide whether to process their birds and give them to their sale buyer or market them privately.
  2. Exhibitors of all other market animals that have an opportunity to earn a sale slot must declare before they leave the scales during weigh-in at the beginning of the Fair if they will choose to take home a market animal by submitting the Exhibitor Intent to Take Market Animal Home affidavit.
  3. Per Ohio Department of Agriculture rules, the ‘live’ Champion and Reserve Champion market beef, market hogs, market lambs and market goats must go to slaughter and may not go home with the exhibitor regardless their choice during weigh-in prior to fair.
  4. Unless named Grand Champion or Reserve Grand Champion market beef, market hog, market lamb, market goat, market duck, market turkey, market chicken or dairy feeder calf during their respective Junior market show, animals designated by their exhibitor to go home after the fair will forfeit the opportunity to accept buyer add-on dollars or earn a livestock sale slot with that animal.
  5. Animals not designated by the exhibitor during weigh-in to go home will compete for an individual or group livestock sale slot as they have in the past.
  6. Buyers will once again have the opportunity to ‘keep’ animals they purchase in 2021.

To further clarify the details of implementing a partial-terminal livestock sale in 2021, review the answers to the FAQs linked here.

The Exhibitor Intent to Take Market Animal Home affidavit linked here is to be used to designate a youth is choosing to take home a market animal.

Skillathons are Mandatory for Livestock/Horses/Dogs for the 2021 Fairfield County Junior Fair – Read more here!

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Continuing from what was begun in 2020, the Fairfield County Junior Fair will require the completion of at least one Skillathon per 4-H/FFA exhibitor in order to show at 2021 Fairfield County Junior Fair for all beef, dairy, goat, poultry, rabbit (except Pet Rabbits), sheep, swine, dog, horse, and alpaca/llama projects. This requirement is included on page 14 of the 2021 4-H Member Handbook.

Fairfield County 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 record keeping including your project book.

Project Books should be complete and up to date for the current year. Project Books for each project an exhibitor plans to bring to the fair should be brought to Skillathon.

  • If competing for Premier Exhibitor, exhibitors must complete a Skillathon for each species they plan to compete in this year.
  • If exhibitors completed the Ohio State Fair Virtual or In-Person Skillathons, or opt to take the written test, they must submit project books to the Extension Office by October 1st.

Here are options to meet this county requirement:

  1. Participate in the Fairfield County Skillathon event to be held September 11th and 12th at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds in the Ed Sands/Fairfield County Farm Bureau Building.  Sign up by noon, Wednesday, September 8th using this link: go.osu.edu/21fcskillathon
  • Fairfield County youth interested in competing for any Fairfield County Premier Exhibitor Award must complete the 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 either September 11th or 12th.
  1. Participate in the Ohio State Fair Virtual Skillathon.
  • Youth do not have to be exhibitors in the OSF to participate.
  • Registration is due June 14th by visiting: www.go.osu.edu/skillathonregistration
  • Youth do not have to be exhibitors at the OSF to participate.
  • OSF Youth participating in the Outstanding Breeding Exhibitor must register and complete the OSF Virtual Skillathon to be eligible for this award.
  • Exhibitors must have their own unique email address to create a log-in to access the online skillathon.
  1. Participate in the Ohio State Fair In-Person Skillathon.
  1. None of these options work? Exhibitors can take a written test in the Ed Sands Building on the Fairfield County Fairgrounds on either Sunday, September 26 at 1 p.m. or Monday, September 27 at 6 p.m. To participate in this testing option, youth must first register with the Fairfield County Senior Fair Office by contacting them at 740-653-3041.

Details including dates for both virtual/in-person options on the two options from the Ohio State Fair can be found here: https://ohio4h.org/animalsciences/ohio-youth-skillathons

The 2021 In-Person County skillathons will consist of 4 stations:

  1. Parts of the animal
  2. Breeds of the species
  3. Quality Assurance
  4. Project Book Review and Interview

Dogs will complete their skillathon during Dog Check-in on Saturday, August 28th.

The following species will have skillathons on Saturday, September 11th from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Appointments must be made noon, Wednesday, September 8th through this link: go.osu.edu/21fcskillathon.

  • Dairy
  • Beef (Including Dairy Beef Feeders)
  • Swine
  • Rabbits
  • Poultry

The following species will have skillathons on Sunday, September 12th, from noon to 6:00 pm.  Appointments must be made by noon, Wednesday, September 8th through this link: go.osu.edu/21fcskillathon.

  • Sheep
  • Horses
  • Dairy Goat
  • Market Goat
  • Pygmy Goat
  • Alpacas and Llamas

Study materials would include your project books, resource books, skillathon kits, and online resources (for poultry).

Return to the Junior Fair Rule Book index page

Premier Exhibitor Contests – Program Updates Coming Soon!

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A committee has been working the past few months to update the Premier Exhibitor Contests across all species. A few details are being finalized and the updates to the program will be shared BEFORE September 1st. Stay tuned!

2021 Guys and Gals Sheep Lead Information

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The Guys and Gals Sheep Lead Contest will be held on Wednesday October 13th at 6:30 p.m. in the Feeder Creek Show Arena at the 2021 Fairfield County Fair.

Click here for rules: https://tinyurl.com/sheepleadrules

Click here for entry form: https://tinyurl.com/sheepleadentryform

Deadline for commentaries is October 3, 2021. Questions can be directed to Trish Preston (theprestonfamilyfarm@gmail.com) or Emily Terflinger, Event Co-Chairs.

Congrats to Ohio State Fair Skillathon Winners and Participants!

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Congrats to the following Fairfield County 4-H Members who participated in the 2021 Virtual and In-Person Ohio State Fair Skillathons! If individuals placed in the top 10 for their age group, those placings are listed below for each specie. Congrats again to all who participated!

Beef – Virtual

  • 2nd Place, Age 18 – Abigail Tooill
  • 2nd Place, Age 16 – Andrew Huffman
  • Participant: Age 13 – Ashton Huffman

Beef – In Person

  • 6th Place, Age 10 – Ellanor Tarbert
  • 9th Place, Age 14 – Maddox Cupp
  • 10th Place, Age 14 – Morgan Love
  • 3rd Place, Age 16 – Mason Love
Cavy – Virtual
  • 4th Place, Age 13 – Carter Bergados
  • 2nd Place, Age 14, 4th Place Intermediate, 7th OVERALL Cavy Skillathon – Alexandria Schmelzer 

Dairy – In Person

  • 7th Place, Age 12 – Silas Kohler
  • 10th Place, AGe 14 – Nathan Canale

Dog – Virtual

  • 8th Place, Age 13 – Nolan Shaffer
  • 3rd Place, Age 11, 7th Place Junior – Kirra Wiseman

Goat – Virtual

  • 7th Place, Age 12 – Delaney Amick
  • 4th Place, Age 15 – Taylor Amick
  • 1st Place, Age 18 – Ellyaris Bullock
  • 9th Place, Age 17 – Elizabeth Kitsmiller
  • 8th Place, Age 17 – Kendal Wilson
  • 8th Place, Age 14 – Skylar Wilson

Goat – In Person

  • 5th Place, Age 8/9 – Evan Walters
  • 7th Place, Age 11 – Austin Smith
  • 8th Place, Age 11 – Abigail Walters
  • 2nd Place, Age 12 – Julia Cowdrey
  • 4th Place, Age 15 – Morgan Cowdrey

Horse – Virtual

  • 7th Place, Age 17 – Sofia Gugliemotto
  • 8th Place, Age 11 – Ashlyn Carder
  • Participants: Cora Cain, Brianna Downey, Shay Ruff, Katelyn Wynkoop

Horse – In Person

  • 1st Place, Age 10 – Lydia Hertlein
  • 5th Place, Age 11 – Annesley Leith
  • 7th Place, Age 11 – Julia Hertlein
  • 7th Place, Age 12 – Riley Cain
  • 5th Place, Age 14 – Kayla Hedges
  • 7th Place, Age 15 – Cora Cain
  • 6th Place, Age 16 – Jadin Triplett
  • 3rd Place, Age 17 – Ashley Love

Alpaca/Llama – Virtual

  • 2nd Place, Age 13 – Nolan Shaffer

Poultry – Virtual

  • 8th Place, Age 12 – Troy Bullock
  • 4th Place, Age 18 – Jaymeson Sahr
  • 8th Place, Age 14 – Alexandria Schmelzer
  • Participant: Jed Sahr

Poultry – In Person

  • 2nd Place, Age 8/9 – Garrett Basnett
  • 1st Place, Age 10 – Hunter Basnett
  • 9th Place, Age 11 – Parker Reese
  • 5th Place, Age 13 – Campbell Reese
  • 7th Place, Age 13 – Logan Basnett

Sheep – Virtual

  • 9th Place, Age 13 – Luke Clark
  • 5th Place, Age 18 – Cort Kleinline
  • 6th Place, Age 8/9 – Chase Myers
  • Participant: Addie Dennis

Sheep – In Person

  • 6th Place, Age 11 – Peyton Courtright
  • Participant: Campbell Reese

Swine – Virtual

  • 9th Place, Age 11 – Hayden Barber
  • 6th Place, Age 13 – Maci Barber
  • 10th Place, Age 13 – Raegan Needs
  • 3rd Place, Age 13 – Emma Raver
  • Participants: Reagan Boucher, Christian Galloway, Karson Kistler, Zoey Moon Matz, Evan Raver

Swine – In Person

  • 6th Place, Age 11 – Brinleigh Hoisington
  • 2nd Place, Age 14 – Henry Hoisington
  • Participant: Reid Strickler

Rabbit – Virtual

  • 6th Place, Age 13 – Carter Bergados
  • 1st Place, Age 18, 6th Place Senior – Lillian Hyme
  • 5th Place, Age 8/9, 10th Place Junior – Julianna Phillips
  • 9th Place, Age 11 – Taylor Phillips
  • 1st Place, Age 8/9, 2nd Place Junior, 8th OVERALL – Eryn Raver
  • 2nd Place, Age 8/9, 3rd Place Junior, 7th OVERALL – Evan Raver
  • 9th Place, Age 12 – Jed Sahr
  • 10th Place – Age 14 – Alexandria Schmelzer
  • 3rd Place, Age 11 – Mollie Smithberger
  • 4th Place, Age 11 – Jason Stelzer
  • 5th Place, Age 13 – Kaylee Stelzer
  • 5th Place, Age 10 – Morgan Stelzer
  • 9th Place, Age 15 – Cece Woods
  • Participants: Dominic Woods, Kaitlyn Stonerock

Rabbit – In Person

  • 4th Place, Age 8/9 – Hannah Jones
  • 1st Place, Age 11 – Rachel Sponseller
  • 2nd Place, Age 11 – Lydia Jones
  • 8th Place, Age 11 – Brooke Hampton
  • 8th Place, Age 12 – Lauren Wilson
  • 2nd Place, Age 13 – Charlie Sponseller
  • 5th Place, Age 13 – Amber Hampton
  • 9th Place, Age 13 – Aubrey Duke-Ward
  • 3rd Place, Age 15 – Logan Hampton
  • 4th Place, Age 15 – Alison Sponseller
  • 5th Place, Age 15 – Katelynn Lykins
  • Participants: Jacob Duke-Ward

2021 Junior Fair Rule Book is now available!

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Please find a link to the 2021 Junior Fair Rule Book below. Since there will not be a print version this year, the on-line version you see is what we will be working from this year, and likely into the future. As you review it, please note the following:

  • Near the top of the index page that will open from the link below, you’ll find links to the NEW Junior Fair Entry Forms. Links to these forms are also included within each Department link you find in the index. Carefully read and follow the protocol for completing and submitting entry forms that you find on the Entry Forms page.
  • In addition to each specie, in the index also find links to the General Rules, DUNF, Premier Exhibitor, Skillathon and Project Book Review, Showmanship, the Livestock Judging Contest and the Livestock Auction. Carefully review these pages for further instruction.
  • Rules for ‘take home’ animals and the livestock auction have changed. Carefully review these changes found under the Exhibitor Info ’21 link on the 78th Fairfield County Fair 4-H & FFA Livestock Auction page.
  • We know there may still be some mistakes in this new on-line version of the Junior Fair Rule Book. Newly adopted rules plus over 60 pages from the old rule book have been converted from PDFs and Publisher into a web format. We know some things didn’t convert perfectly . . . if you find them, please share with us and they can be quickly fixed.
  • IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS please email them to us. We will be hosting a live ZOOM August 11th at 6:00 pm and will address all your questions then, and share additional information about how best to utilize this new on-line Rule Book and Entry forms. Register here for the zoom meeting.
  • Entries will be accepted at the Sr. Fair Office on the Fairgrounds from Advisors on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. from August 16 thru August 27, 2021.

Use this link to access the 2021 Fairfield county Junior Fair Rule Book: https://go.osu.edu/jrfairbook

Please review the entire book before you start asking questions.  There are now pages with the Entry Forms, Showmanship Information in one place, DUNF information, Skillathon and Project Book Review, Livestock Judging Contest, and Super Showmanship.  We are still working with a committee to finalize Premier Exhibitor information and hope to have that posted by Sept. 1. Continue reading →