Christine Gelley, OSU Extension Educator, Noble County
The 2017 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium is approaching. This annual event is organized by the Ohio 
Sheep Improvement Association (OSIA). The objectives of the symposium are to assist sheep producers with increasing productivity through educational programming from which every segment of the sheep industry can benefit.
This year’s symposium will begin with the Shepherd’s College from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. on December 1, 2017 at Fisher Auditorium on the Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center (OARDC) Wooster Campus. Dr. Erin Recktenwald of Michigan State University will lead off with her presentation “Examining the Profitability of Several Sheep Production Scenarios with a Simulation Model”. Dr. Francis Fluharty of The Ohio State University will follow with presentations on “The Realities of Finishing Lambs on Grass vs. Grain” and “Feeding Ewe Lambs for Maximum Growth and Reproduction”.
In addition, the first annual Young Shepherd’s Program will continue the evening for shepherd’s ages 18-35 at Jakes Steakhouse in Wooster. Seating for dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the program will conclude at 8:30 p.m. This free event is open to young shepherds who are eager to meet and socialize with their peers while learning from one another. A panel of young agricultural professionals, who are also shepherds, will be interview about how they became shepherds, experienced in their fields of expertise, trials, and successes. Those who register before November 17 will enjoy a buffet lamb dinner, conversation with peers, inspirational and educational materials, and the chance to win a door prize.
The symposium continues on Saturday, December 2 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Shisler Conference Center at OARDC. Programs and workshops will be offered throughout the day that focus on improving the profitability of the sheep operation through nutrition, reproduction, economics, and marketing. Lunch will be included, featuring carved leg of lamb. During the morning sessions, high school aged students are invited to tour The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI) with the university’s recruiting staff.
For the full schedule of events, please follow this link. For those that are interested in attending the Young Shepherd’s Program, please fill out and submit this form. For those not eligible for the Young Shepherds Program or are interested in only attending the Symposium events, please fill out and submit the Adult Registration form.