Press Release:
Hosted by the departments of Animal Sciences and Extension at The Ohio State University, we are pleased to announce the offering of the Small Ruminant 509 program held in the Animal Sciences Building on the Columbus campus on June 13-14, 2025. Programs such as Beef and Pork 509 have shown success with bridging gaps in producer understandings of live animal production as it relates to carcass outcomes and overall meat quality. Up to this point, small ruminant producers in the state have had limited opportunities to participate in a program as such. The overall aim of this Extension program is to provide statewide education to sheep and goat producers looking to further their knowledge of live animal evaluation and selection, meat processing, meat quality, and the economics of marketing small ruminants, in a real-world, hands-on learning environment.
To showcase the versatility and variability of small ruminant production in Ohio, a number of different breeds and types of small ruminant animals will be utilized in this program. During the two-day event, participants will have the opportunity to evaluate animals on the hoof, with fleeces on and off, as well as evaluate animals in a live auction format, to estimate potential meat yield. Those estimates will then be matched with what the carcasses yield after harvest, by evaluating carcass characteristics in addition to cutability tests. Participants will also test their butchery skills by learning and understanding how to properly break down a carcass. Lastly, participants will be able to test their skills of preparation and cookery of different small ruminant products, by grilling and smoking different cuts of meat, to see the impacts that the method of preparation has on palatability. Registration can be found at go.osu.edu/SR509. For those that have questions about the event, feel free to contact Dr. Brady Campbell at campbell.1279@osu.edu.
