By Roger High
rhigh@ofbf.org or 614-246-8299
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association will offer 12 district sheep and goat programs throughout Ohio this winter.
The program series was launched in 2001 to provide educational programming on a wide variety of sheep and goat management topics for Ohio livestock producers.
The series will be offered at the following locations:
•Jan. 13, Mt. Victory — Top of Ohio Region Sheep and Goat Program, Mt. Victory Plaza Inn, 7 p.m. Topic: “Feeding Sheep and Goats for Maximum Production.” Contact Wesley Haun at 937-599-4227 or Gene McClure at 419-674-2297.
•Jan. 26, Mt. Gilead — Heart of Ohio Region Sheep and Goat Program, Morrow County Community Center, 619 West Marion Road, 7 p.m. Topic: “Handling Foot Rot and Parasites in Sheep and Goat Operations.” Contact Jeff McCutcheon at 740-947-1070.
•Jan. 28, Springfield – Top of Ohio Region Sheep and Goat Program, Clark County Extension office, 4400 Gateway Blvd., Ste. 104, 7 p.m. Topic: “Lamb and Goat Carcass Evaluation.” Contact Jonah Johnson at 937-328-4607.
•Jan. 28, Barnesville – Buckeye Hills Region Sheep and Goat Program, Belmont County Farm Bureau office, 100 Colonel Drive, 7 p.m. Topic: “Ecology and Management of Coyotes and Other Predators.” Contact Steve Schumacher at 740-695-1455 or Mark Landefeld at 740-472-0810.
•Jan. 30, Marion – Heart of Ohio Region Sheep and Goat Program, Ag Credit Building, 100 East Center, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., $5 registration for lunch. Topic: “Pasture Management for Sheep and Goat Operations.” Contact Connie Thomas at 740-223-4040.
•Feb. 3, Mt. Vernon – Heart of Ohio Region Sheep and Goat Program, Knox County Extension office, 1025 Harcourt Road, 7 p.m. Topics: “Ultrasound Technology and Utilizing CIDRS to Synchronize Lambing” and “Utilizing Artificial Insemination to Incorporate Genetics into Your Sheep Flock,” $20 registration fee due by Jan. 29. Contact Troy Cooper at 740-397-0401.
•Feb. 10, Burton – Western Reserve Region Sheep and Goat Program, Geauga County Extension office, Patterson Center, 14269 Claridon-Troy Road, 7 p.m. Topic: “Ohio Sheep, Lamb, and Goat Marketing Opportunities.” Contact Les Ober at 440-834-4656.
•Feb. 11, Piketon – Ohio Valley Region Sheep and Goat Program, OSU South Centers, Endeavor Center, 1862 Shyville Road, 7 p.m. Topic: “Marketing Sheep and Goats to the Ethnic Population.” Contact Jeff Fisher at 740-947-2121.
•Feb. 18, Wilmington – Miami Valley Region Sheep and Goat Program, Clinton County Extension office, 111 S. Nelson Ave., Ste. 2, 7 p.m. Topic: “Marketing Sheep and Goats to the Ethnic Population.” Contact Tony Nye at 937-382-0901.
•Feb. 24, Mt. Hope – Crossroads Region Sheep and Goat Program, Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen, 8101 State Route 241, 6 p.m. with a 5:30 p.m. buffet dinner. $14 fee required for meal with reservations made by Feb. 19. Topic: “Ohio Sheep, Lamb, and Goat Marketing Opportunities.” Contact Dianne Shoemaker at 330-264-8722.
•March 8, Fostoria – Maumee Valley/Erie Basin Region Sheep and Goat Program, Ag Credit Services Corporate office, 610 West Lytle St., 7 p.m. Topic: “Practical Health Management Practices and Open Health Forum.” Contact Ed Lentz at 419-447-9722 or Gary Wilson at 419-422-3851.
•March 15, Zanesville – Heart of Ohio/Crossroads Region Sheep and Goat Program, Muskingum County Extension office, 225 Underwood St., 7 p.m. Topic: “Pastures, Parasites, and Sheep Production: Lessons Learned from Three Years of On-Farm Research.” Contact Mark Mechling at 740-454-0144 or Howard Siegrist at 740-349-6900.
In addition to the District Sheep and Goat Program series, OSU Extension and the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association will also offer a Buckeye Hills Region Sheep and Goat Production School in Athens. The series will take place Jan. 19 and 26 and Feb. 2, 9, and 16 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Athens County Extension office, 280 West Union St. Registration is $35 per person or couple if they share materials. For more information, contact Rory Lewandowski at 740-593-8555.
For more information about the programs, contact Roger High at 614-246-8299 or rhigh@ofbf.org, or log on to http://www.ohiosheep.org.