Small Ruminant 509

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.

Beef Quality Assurance March 25, 2025, 7:00 PM

Are you selling beef animals to be harvested for meat and need to update your Beef Quality Assurance Certification?

The goal of the Ohio Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program is to increase the competitive base for marketing Ohio cattle. Beef Quality Assurance is a program to ensure that beef and dairy cattle are maintained in a manner which will result in a safe and wholesome beef product for the consumer.  The Ohio BQA program is set to meet or exceed the NCBA BQA Guidelines.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Program starts at 7:00 PM

Location: Muskingum Livestock Auction

No cost, no RSVP needed.

Beef Quality Assurance | OSU Extension BEEF TEAM

Beef Quality Assurance March 25, 2025, 7:00 PM

Are you selling beef animals to be harvested for meat and need to update your Beef Quality Assurance Certification?

The goal of the Ohio Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program is to increase the competitive base for marketing Ohio cattle. Beef Quality Assurance is a program to ensure that beef and dairy cattle are maintained in a manner which will result in a safe and wholesome beef product for the consumer.  The Ohio BQA program is set to meet or exceed the NCBA BQA Guidelines.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Program starts at 7:00 PM

Location: Muskingum Livestock Auction

No cost, no RSVP needed.

Beef Quality Assurance | OSU Extension BEEF TEAM

Winter Feeding Options for Beef Cows October 29 in Zanesville, 6:30 PM

Although hurricane Helene provided some much needed moisture across southern and eastern Ohio, drought conditions persist and impacts will linger through this coming winter. With severe drought from July through September hay inventories have been negatively impacted and many producers may find themselves short on forage for the winter and early spring.

Join OSU Extension field specialists Jason Hartschuh and Garth Ruff at one of four locations across southern and eastern Ohio as they address managing forage shortages due to drought.

Topics discussed will be alternative feeding strategies, comparison of feed ingredients, and managing cow herd inventory.

All programs start at 6:30 p.m. and there is no RSVP needed for any of the following locations:

DATE: October 17, 2024
LOCATION: Sugarcreek Stockyards- 102 Buckeye St., Sugarcreek, OH 44681

DATE: October 22, 2024
LOCATION: Caldwell Extension Operations Building- 16714 Wolf Run Rd. Caldwell, OH 43724

DATE: October 24, 2024
LOCATION: Jackson County OSU Extension- 17 Standpipe Rd. Jackson, OH 45640

DATE: October 29, 2024
LOCATION: Muskingum Livestock- 944 Malinda St. Zanesville, OH 43701

Each class will be offered from 6:30-8:00 p.m. and there is no need to RSVP, just go to the location that fits the date you are available. At these meetings experts will cover feeding options with limited forage supplies, comparison of supplementation options, and offer a discussion on managing herd numbers as the impacts of the 2024 drought persists into fall and winter.

For more information, see this flyer, visit beef.osu.edu or contact ruff.72@osu.edu.

Muskingum SWCD to Host Jim Gerrish on Grazing Management and Drought Conditions on Monday, September 30, 6:00 PM

“Jim’s extensive experience with grazing management and drought conditions will give us a variety of ideas to be able to manage through this drought and the future impacts. He is concerned about the sustainability of family farms and speaks at producer-oriented workshops, seminars and field days He consults on grazing across the United States and Canada.”

More information and registration: Surviving the Drought of 2024 and Beyond (muskingumswcd.org)

 

 

 

Winter Feeding Options for Beef Cows October 29 in Zanesville

OSU Extension will be hosting a program to address feeding options with limited forage supplies, comparison of supplementation options, and a discussion managing herd numbers as the impacts of the 2024 drought persists into fall and winter.

October 29, 2024

6:30 to 8:00 PM

Muskingum Livestock Auction, Zanesville, OH.  Additional dates and locations avialable.

For more information, visit beef.osu.edu or contact ruff.72@osu.edu

No RSVP required.

Program Flier