Judging Team, Skillathon Team and Quiz Bowl Team Members Needed

Are you interested in learning to be a judge of animals yourself? Do you want to know exactly what the judge is looking for? Or do you have fun seeing how much more you know that the next person?

If any of these appeal, come to an informational meeting on Thursday, Feb. 15, 7:00 p.m. at the OSU Extension Office in Lawrence County.

You will find out out it takes to be a member of a horse judging team or a livestock judging team. We will explore how the Horse Quiz Bowl works and what areas the state Skillathon contest covers. These are very fun activities that will let you meet new people and travel all over the country! See you the 15th!

Steer Tag Identification for 2007 Fair

If you are interested in showing a steer at the 2007 Lawrence County Fair, you must bring a steer to be identified as your project to the fair grounds on Saturday, January 6 from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.  Signs and/or people will be posted to direct you to the right entrance. If case of an emergency due to weather, listen to radio stations WTCR or WKEE or contact the office and a message will let you know if the event has been canceled. In the event of a cancellation, the snow date for the event will be Saturday, January 13. HOWEVER, do not assume, but follow the instructions above to let you know.

At the December Senior Fair Board meeting, several changes were implemented for the 2007 year. On January 6^th, you are able to identify one steer for the show and one “backup” steer. The backup steer can be shown if for a medical reason, your primary steer cannot be shown. The medical reason needs to be authenticated by the Fair Veterinarian at your own expense. Also, siblings taking a steer project (brothers and sisters residing at the same address) can identify only one backup to be used by any sibling if they wish. All of this will be recorded at tag-in on the 6^th.

Other changes for the beef animals: Grooming will be allowed only with the use of CLEAR grooming products – no building, dyeing or alterations of conformation; There will be a fine system in place for cleaning and care violations (verbal and written for first, $25 fine for second violation, $50 fine for third violation and fourth violation will result in removal from sale. All fines must be paid by noon on Friday of fair.); and the Breeding cattle and feeder calf show will be Tuesday, 9 a.m. of fair.

An exciting new addition will be a sale for feeder calves. Exhibitors will have the option to enter their feeder calves in the sale. This sale will be held approximately an hour after the conclusion of the market animal sale on Saturday.

4-H Skillathon Team
 Hello All!

         The state will have a new contest - the skillathon contest! A team will compete in skillathon activities covering four species - beef, goat, sheep and swine.

The state contest is May 20 so we need to start working. Please call the office if you are interested in being on the team or if you are interested in serving as an advisor for the team.

The four stations for each of the species has been determined and it is recommended that youth study their Quality Assurance information and nutrition information on their books. They will also need to know digestive systems and their record books.

The 2007 stations topics are:

Horse

1.   Record Book and safety

2.   Tack Equipment Safety

3.   Medicine Labels, Injections

4.   Nutrition

Beef

1.   Record Book and how to use it

2.   Quality Assurance (from training and book)

3.   Beef Reproductive System, resource handbook

4.   Ruminant Digestive System, resource handbook

Dairy Cattle

1. Record Book and how to use it
2. Quality Assurance (from training and book)
3. Mammary System
4. Ruminant Digestive System, resource handbook

Dairy Goat

1. Record Book and how to use it
2. Quality Assurance (from training and book)
3. Mammary System
4. Ruminant Digestive System, handout

Market Goat

1. Record Book and how to use it
2. Quality Assurance (from training and book)
3. Breeds and Diseases (descriptions, locations)
4. Ruminant Digestive System, handout

Lambs

1. Record Book and how to use it
2. Quality Assurance (from training and book)
3. Diseases (descriptions, locations)
4. Ruminant Digestive System, resource handbook

Poultry

1. Record Book and how to use it
2. Quality Assurance (from training and book)
3. Digestive Tract
4. Parts of a Wing

Rabbits

1. Record Book and how to use it
2. Quality Assurance (from training and book)
3. ARBA show class category for each rabbit breed (handbook)
4. Rabbit Digestive System, resource handbook

 Swine

1. Record Book and how to use it
2. Quality Assurance (from training and book)
3. Ear Notching
4. Digestive System, resource handbook

Study Notes

Record Book

    Treatment Record – List medications or write none given up to skillathon date

Understand what costs go under different categories – misc., feed, things I have, treatment record

      Quality Assurance

            Withdrawal times

            Fair Kits

            What products are allowed according to Law. Co. rules

      Repro System

      Diseases – descriptions, locations

     Ear Notching

     Wing Parts, Digestive System

     Mammary System

     ARBA – class   4 or 6  (jr.sr.int)

All market and breeding livestock projects and dairy projects exhibitors are required to participate in quality assurance training. Two sessions for exhibitors in all species will be offered Saturday, February 24, at the Collins Career Center, and Saturday, April 7, at the  Symmes Valley High School.

Things will run different this year. The sessions will begin at three different times. The first 40 individuals will run through a series of sessions from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.

The second group of 40 will begin sessions at 11:45 a.m. until 1:15 p.m. The final group of 40 will begin at 1:30 p.m. and finish around 3 p.m. This will be the same schedule for both days of QA.