Mark Badertscher, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Hardin County
2023 Statewide Sheep Production Tour Flyer
A OSU Statewide Sheep Production Tour 2023 
statewide sheep production tour of the State up North (Michigan) has been planned for Ohio Sheep Producers the weekend of Saturday, September 30 and Sunday, October 1, 2023. This year’s tour is jointly sponsored by the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association (OSIA) and Hardin County OSU Extension. Join us for this sheep production tour focusing on Michigan lamb marketing and dry lot/confinement sheep operations. A schedule of the included visits are as follows:
Saturday September 30, 2023
- Ronnie Berry Halal Meats (11:00 am) – Dearborn, MI – Ronnie Berry’s Meats, has served the Dearborn, MI community for over 60 years. They stock a wide variety of fresh meat weekly including lamb, veal, chicken, and beef. They also smoke their own jerky, beef pepperoni, and lunch meats.
- Eastern Market of Detroit (12:30 pm) – Detroit, MI – Attending the Saturday Market is an experience that is undeniably Detroit. Over 225 market vendors share their produce and stories with up to 40,000 visitors in one day during their busy season. The tradition of this market has been a cornerstone of the city for 125 years and is crucial to their mission of nourishing a healthier, wealthier, and happier city.
- Wheaton Hampshires (3:30 pm) – Charlotte, MI – Intensive club lamb operation primarily marketing to 4-H and FFA members as well as marketing genetics to other club lamb producers across the country. Primary facilities are confinement/dry lot type buildings due to extensive AI, ET and Ram Semen Collection programs, although some pasture is utilized during different times of the year. The most unique part of the buildings is a climate-controlled ram barn so that ram semen collections can be done throughout the year.
Sunday October 1, 2023
- Michigan State University Sheep Teaching and Research Center (9:30 am)– Lansing, MI – MSU sheep farm has an accelerated lambing program and modern lambing barn and feeding system running 300 ewes. They utilize a total mixed ration feeding program to provide a quality and low-cost diet. The farm uses natural methods to achieve a high rate of reproductive success with lambing periods every 4 months. The farm’s facilities allow it support applied research projects and the education of both students (undergraduate and veterinary) and producers on modern sheep production practices.
- Dr. Richard Earhardt Family Sheep Farm (1:30 pm) – Eaton Rapids, MI – The Earhardt Farm has an accelerated lambing program with 200 ewes and practices Management intensive Grazing (MiG) on 25 acres. The focus on forage quality and strategic feeding to create the level of reproductive efficiency needed to produce a consistent set of lambs year around. Dr. Richard Earhardt is the Michigan State University Small Ruminant Specialist and has been a speaker at the Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium on multiple occasions.
Noteworthy bits:.
- Meals and Hotel at your own expense – Van costs split with those who ride in van
- Van transportation will be provided for up to 12 people – first come-first served
- Tour reservations due: Monday September 18, 2023 – need registered for van and hotel reservations
- Contact: Mark Badertscher, OSU Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator, Hardin County, (419) 767-6037, badertscher.4@osu.edu for tour details.