OSU Sheep Team

Brady Campbell, Program Coordinator, OSU Sheep Team

Are you interested in learning a new skill set that will greatly benefit sheep industry? Are you interested in the potential to make some money on the side working with your favorite small ruminant species? If you answered yes to both of these questions, look no further! All thanks to the support of the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, the next sheep shearing school is slated for September 14 and 15 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Dave Cable Farm in Hebron, Ohio.

During this two day schooling event, attendees will be given the opportunity to learn how to properly shear a sheep using the Australian shearing technique. Those in attendance will be taught Continue reading →

Rusty Burgett, Program Director, National Sheep Improvement Program

Hello Sheep Producers!

On behalf of the National Sheep Improvement Program and the sale committee, we would like to invite you to our 2^nd annual Eastern NSIP Sheep Sale at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wooster, OH at 1:00 p.m. on August 11, 2018. This sale will be a great opportunity to access proven genetics that have been selected for increased productivity and profitability. Sheep can be found to improve lambing and weaning rates along with growth rates, increase carcass cutability and build parasite resistance. There will truly be a sheep for everyone. Continue reading →

Brady Campbell, Program Coordinator, OSU Sheep Team

As the sun rose above the hills of southeastern Ohio this past Saturday, the stage was set for the 2018 Ohio Sheep Day. Shepherds from all around gathered in Belle Valley at Ohio State’s Eastern Agriculture Research Station (EARS) to take in its unique view and to get an update on what has been happening at EARS since the last Sheep Day in 2009. In addition, Dr. CathAnn Kress, Dean of the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences as well as Dr. Dave Benfeld, Associate Vice President, AVP, Ag Admin and Dir. joined those in attendance to listen in on the current happenings and research being conducted at the research station. A unique piece of this years sheep day included the attendance of several OSU Animal faculty interested in the sustainability of Ohio’s sheep industry.

To begin the morning session, attendees were loaded onto the tour wagons and headed to the sheep handling facility. Here, shepherds were introduced to Continue reading →

Brady Campbell, Program Coordinator, OSU Sheep Team

Have you ever considered using artificial insemination to rapidly increase the genetic diversity of your flock or to produce superior offspring for show and replacement breeding stock, but was unable to do so due to the cost? If so, look no further. All thanks to the Licking County Sheep Improvement Association, Ohio shepherds now have the opportunity to expand the genetics of their flocks in using A.I. techniques with the services being provided by Reproduction Specialty Group – Dr. Tad Thompson, DVM. The event is set for Saturday, August 18, 2018 at the Hartford Fairgrounds. Continue reading →

Steve Boyles, OSU Extension Beef Specialist, The Ohio State University

On April 13^th, the Department of Animal Sciences will celebrate the achievements of those who have enhanced student education and enriched the animal science industry through the annual Animal Sciences Annual Recognition Reception. Several prestigious student awards will also be presented.

This year, the Department will induct Mike Stitzlein into the Animal Sciences Hall of Fame. Continue reading →

Christine Gelley, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Noble County

The Ohio State University Eastern Agricultural Research Station will host the 2018 Southeast Ohio Sheep and Goat School beginning February 15, 2018. This six session series will span from February to November featuring presentations by state specialists and regional experts. From “Sheep & Goats 101” to “Finishing”, there is sure to be something for every sheep and goat producer’s interest. Most classes will run from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and be held at the The Ohio State University Eastern Agricultural Research Station (EARS):

16870 Twp. Rd. 126 Caldwell, Ohio 43724

A meal will be included. The cost for the course is $100 for all six sessions or $25 per session. Registration is requested by February 1, 2018. For more details, please check out the attached flyer.

Any further questions should be directed to Christine Gelley at Noble County Extension (740) 732-5681 or gelley.2@osu.edu.

Brady Campbell, Program Coordinator, OSU Sheep Team

Yet again, the annual Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium, sponsored by the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association (OSIA), went off without a hitch this past weekend. The objective of the symposium is to assist sheep producers by providing a two day event full of educational programming from which  every sector of the American sheep industry can benefit from. The symposium was held in the Shisler Conference Center at the Ohio Agriculture and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster, Ohio.

The symposium kicked off on Friday, December 1, with Dr. Francis Fluharty with The Ohio State University speaking on the topic of Continue reading →

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 Continue reading →

Brady Campbell, Program Coordinator, OSU Sheep Team

On this past Saturday, 57 livestock producers and forage enthusiasts attended the Mid-Ohio Valley Grazing Conference in Fleming Ohio at Lazy H Farms. The event was sponsored by The Ohio State University Extension, West Virginia University Extension, Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District, Ohio Farm Bureau, The Career Center – Adult Technical Training, and The James Barret Endowment Fund. The speakers of the event were Bob Hendershot, Dr. Mark Sulc, and Dr. Edward B. Rayburn.

Mr. Bob Hendershot, retired State Grassland Conservationist, NRCS and the 2017 Distinguished Grasslander Award recipient, began the morning session by talking about Continue reading →

Stan Smith, OSU Extension PA, Fairfield County

If you pasture livestock or want to know more about pasture management, then please do not miss this upcoming opportunity to learn from the region’s “Who’s Who” among forages and pasture management.  Ohio State University Extension, West Virginia University Extension, Washington County Farm Bureau, Washington Soil and Water Conservation District, and The Career Center, Adult Technical Training is pleased to offer our region the Mid-Ohio Valley Grazing Conference Continue reading →

Brady Campbell, Program Coordinator, OSU Sheep Team

Ewes and lambs in the field at the 2017 Ohio Sheep Day at OARDC in Wooster, OH (Image source: Farm and Dairy)

Another successful sheep day is in the books as the 2017 Ohio Sheep Day wrapped up on July 15th at the Ohio Agricultural and Research Development Center (OARDC) sheep research center in Wooster, Ohio. Producers, researchers, and sheep enthusiasts all joined in an exciting day filled with a diverse range of topics that were both practical and applicable on farm. Each year, the goal of Ohio Sheep Day is to provide producers with both scientific information and resources/contacts to better their sheep operations.

The highlight of this year’s event was Continue reading →

Roger High, OSU Ohio State Sheep Extension Specialist

The 2014 Ohio Sheep Day is scheduled for Saturday, July 12, 2014. It will be held at the Ray Family Farm, home of Shawn and Kim Ray and Family. The farm is located in beautiful Noble County, at 50725 Ray Ln., Cumberland, OH 43732.

Ray Family Farm is a primarily grass based commercial sheep, goat, and cattle operation in the heart of Appalachia Ohio, concentrating their efforts on providing the highest quality forages to their livestock. The farm is located in Southeastern Ohio where the terrain is very rough and rolling, making it an ideal location ruminant livestock production.

This year’s Ohio Sheep Day Continue reading →

Tracy Turner, OSU CFAES CommTech

Sheep producers can learn innovative new techniques to produce consistent, high quality lamb and how to better market their specialty meats during a two-day course Dec. 17-18. The course will be taught by livestock experts from Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and industry experts. Continue reading →

Roger High, OSU Ohio State Sheep Extension Specialist

The Ohio Sheep Day is scheduled for Saturday, July 13, 2013, 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. It will be held at the OARDC Sheep Research Unit, located at 5743 Fredericksburg Road, Wooster OH 44691.

The OARDC Sheep Research Unit has a long history of conducting research to answer questions that help sheep producers be profitable. That has not changed. Come and see what has been learned in the last five years. Continue reading →

Roger High, OSU Ohio State Sheep Extension Specialist

The 2012 Ohio Sheep Day is scheduled for Saturday, July 14, 2012. It will be held at Buckeye Acres Farm, home farm of the Ron and Carla Young Family, located at 12282 Harrison-Willshire Rd., Van Wert, Ohio 45891, in scenic Van Wert County. Continue reading →

Roger High, OSU Ohio State Sheep Extension Specialist

The 2011 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium will concentrate on “Small Ruminant (Sheep and Goat) Nutrition”. This year’s annual event will be held on Saturday, December 10, 2011 at the Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI), Skou Hall, 1328 Dover Rd., Wooster, OH 44691.

With the diversity of the sheep and goat industry, we have made this an intense Continue reading →

Roger High, OSU Ohio State Sheep Extension Specialist

Delaware County will play host to Sheep-O-Rama – a one-day educational event to promote the development of the Sheep Dairy Industry in Ohio. Set for Saturday, October 1, 2011, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Delaware County (OH) Fairgrounds, this event was organized by the Heart of Ohio RC&D and the Ohio Sheep Milk & Cheese Initiative and sponsored in part by Innovative Farmers of Ohio.

The day’s events will focus on Continue reading →

Roger High, OSU Ohio State Sheep Extension Specialist

What: Ohio Sheep Day
When: Saturday, July 16, 2011
Where: Blue Heron Farm, c/o Cynthia Koonce
32994 Teegarden Rd., Lisbon, OH 44432

The 2011 Ohio Sheep Day is scheduled for Saturday, July 16, 2011. It will be held at Blue Heron Farm, home farm of Cynthia Koonce, located outside of Lisbon, Ohio in beautiful Columbiana County. Continue reading →

Roger High, OSU Ohio State Sheep Extension Specialist

Date: December 11, 2010
Start Time: 7:30 – 9 a.m. Registration and Trade Show
Location: Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI), Wooster, OH

The focus of the 2010 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium will be “Marketing for a Profitable Sheep Farm.” This year’s annual event will be held on Continue reading →

Roger High, Executive Director, OSIA
Susan Schultz, OSIA President

OARDC Eastern Research Station in Caldwell, OH hosted the 2009 Ohio Sheep Day

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, with a glint of rain in the air all day, and finally it rained near the end of the program, which was very much appreciated in the drought stricken area of southeastern Ohio.  The air was filled with positive thoughts of an exciting Ohio sheep industry and the OSIA/OSWP/OSU coordinated Ohio Sheep Day was another overwhelming success.   Sheep producers from all over Ohio and Continue reading →

Curt Cline, 2008 Sheep Day Host

Sheep day came and went on our farm on July 12th. The day went off without a hitch, good people, good food, good times! The day was full of events for all aspects of sheep production or, as far as that goes, any livestock production. From pasture tours highlighting the economics behind the forages to listening to Mr. Gordon Oswalt, a Michigan shepherd that manages 1500 ewes, speak about sheep genetics and his personal experiences with a family farm in which multiple generations work together. Continue reading →