On March 3, forty three 4-H and FFA members weighed in a total of 62 beef feeder calves in preparation for the 2018 Fairfield County finished market beef junior show. Of the 62 head tagged in on Saturday, 6 were heifers and 31 were bred, born and raised here in Fairfield County. Show Superintendent Chris Turner along with Senior Fair Board and Fairfield County Cattlemen Association members volunteered with tagging, weighing and nose printing each of the calves at the Fairfield Cattle Company in Canal Winchester.
The average weight of all 62 calves weighed in was 720 pounds. Forty three exhibitors placing calves on feed in March for this project remains consistent with the number of local market beef exhibitors that have begun the market beef project over most of the past ten years. The calves will be finished and returned to the Fair for exhibition on October 9 after being on feed for 217 days.
Following are the numbers from the Junior Fair market beef weigh-ins going back to 1993:
2018; 43 exhibitors tagged 62 calves (31 were BBR, 6 were heifers)
2017; 45 exhibitors tagged 65 calves (38 were BBR, 7 were heifers)
2016; 51 exhibitors tagged 70 calves (37 were BBR, 3 were heifers)
2015; 42 exhibitors tagged 62 calves (38 were BBR, 6 were heifers)
2014; 35 exhibitors, 50 calves (31 were BBR)
2013; 36 exhibitors, 46 calves (2 were heifers & 23 were BBR)
2012; 36 exhibitors, 54 calves (26 were BBR)
2011; 44 exhibitors, 58 calves (5 were heifers & 15 were BBR)
2010; 42 exhibitors, 59 calves (27 were BBR)
2009; 45 exhibitors, 61 calves (29 were BBR)
2008; 56 exhibitors, 75 calves (27 were BBR)
2007; 67 exhibitors (59 exhibitors completed the project in ’07, and exhibited in the live show that year) tagged 82 calves (30 were BBR)
2006; 76 exhibitors, 97 calves (38 were BBR)
2005; 92 exhibitors, 107 calves (38 were BBR)
2004; 99 exhibitors, 124 calves (22 were BBR)
2003; 109 exhibitors, 142 calves (47 were BBR)
2002; 113 exhibitors, 142 calves (19 were Bred, Born & Raised from the County, this was the first year for the BBR program that was initiated by the Fairfield County Cattlemen’s Association)
2001; 114 exhibitors, 147 calves
2000; 112 exhibitors, 162 steers
1999; 114 exhibitors tagged in 160 calves. Performance/Carcass steers were ultrasounded from this point on in order that every calf entered would have carcass data, and to eliminate the issues related to selling each of the carcasses. Connie and Stan Smith ‘Packer Bid’ the 15 Performance/Carcass entries in both 1995 and 1996 and sold the carcasses as freezer beef to individuals throughout the county. In 1997 the Performance/Carcass entries went to Falters Packing in Columbus for harvest, evaluation and marketing; and in 1998 they went to Mopac in PA. (unfortunately some of the carcass data was lost at MOPAC that year)
1998; 111 exhibitors tagged in 162 calves
1997; 110 exhibitors, 169 calves
1996; 109 exhibitors, 152 calves
1995; 101 exhibitors tagged 141 calves. The Performance/Carcass Steer Show was created by the Fairfield County Cattlemen’s Association in 1995, and the 15 entries were harvested at Bay packing in Lancaster. The 15 entries that were harvested were selected from a larger pool of 20 original entries based on visual appraisal. This was due to the space limit in the Packing House at the time. Dr. Ned Parrot, OSU Extension Meats Specialist, hosted the exhibitors and their families in the coolers at Bay Packing one morning during the week of the Fair, and reviewed the scoring process and explained the characteristics of a desirable beef carcass.
1994; 96 exhibitors tagged in 115 calves. Mandatory tagging, nose printing and weighing on the first Saturday in March of all calves was initiated in 1994.
1993; This as the first year of the Rate of Gain contest that was begun at the urging of the Fairfield County Cattlemen’s Association in an effort to highlight and reward cattle that had excellent performance. It was an optional contest then and only cattle that gained 2.5 or more pounds per day were eligible to be placed in the contest. No other calf identification was required prior to 1993. Thirty three youth weighed in 33 calves for the ROG contest in 1993.