Information provided on this page includes:
Sign up for project book check interviews
2024 project book check interviews and skillathons for all market and equine projects will be held on the following dates:
Monday, July 15, Tuesday, July 16, Wednesday, July 17, and Thursday, July 18
Choose the date that works for you!
3-7:30 p.m. each day - Schedule your appointment time online: go.osu.edu/pikelivestockbooks
Livestock Requirements - What to Expect!
- All Beef Projects
- All Dairy Projects (download lease agreement)
- All Goat Projects (download lease agreement for dairy goats)
- All Horse Projects
- All Poultry Projects
- All Rabbit Projects
- All Sheep Projects
- All Swine Projects
Market Animal Project Book Requirements
- Market Hog book
- Market Lamb book
- Market Steer book
- Market Goat book
- Market Rabbit book (old orange book)
- Market Rabbit book (new blue book for 2023)
- Market Poultry book
- Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) Fact Sheet for 4-H Youth Livestock Producers and Families
- Market Livestock Feed Record/Livestock Project Book Supplement - Members who are completing the same project multiple years may use this supplement IN CONJUNCTION with their project book from previous years. Bring BOTH the completed project book and the Livestock Feed Record/Livestock Project Book Supplement to the Market Animal Book evaluation.
Ohio Youth Livestock Exhibition Rules
Outstanding Market Exhibitor, Outstanding Dairy Exhibitor, and Outstanding Horse Exhibitor Competitions:
- Horse Competition
- Swine Competition
- Beef, Goat, Rabbit, Poultry, Sheep, Dairy
Final Livestock Letter for the Fair!
- DO NOT DISREGARD: Important livestock reminders!
Showmanship Resources
- Showing Your Hog
(Additional resources from OSU's Jr. Swine Day 2021)
Poultry Resource Manual
The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Advisory Committee on Livestock Exhibitions voted on the following rule change for 2018. It will went into effect in late January 2018 after going through the proper procedures for changes to the Ohio Revised Code.
§ Junior fair exhibitors ages 8 to 11 shall annually participate in a face-to-face education session that is taught by an authorized instructor.
§ Junior fair exhibitors ages 12 to 19 shall either annually complete an educational session or successfully complete the test-out option.
Regardless of age, junior fair exhibitors shall successfully complete the educational program not less than 45 days prior to the opening date of the exhibition in which they will participate.
Thus, QA training and certification must be completed not less than 45 days prior to the opening day of your county fair.
WHY QUALITY ASSURANCE?
Quality assurance is a pledge or promise to
1) provide a food animal product preferred by consumers, and
2) provide a safe, wholesome food animal product. Food animals are those whose products (meat, milk, and eggs) have the potential to become part of the food chain.
Food safety is paramount to animal agriculture, assuring consumer acceptance and confidence in a market where competing proteins and other alternatives are emerging, rivaling food products of animal origin. Furthermore, issues surrounding animal welfare in agricultural livestock production have surfaced that must be addressed at all levels of food animal production, including youth participation in food animal projects.
Youth involved in food animal exhibitions, by definition, are food animal producers. Youth food animal producers, at the culmination of the project, will sell their animal(s) and food products which are intended for human consumption.
Knowledge and mastery of the science of genetics, nutrition, management, handling, and environment in relation to the youth's food animal projects plays a critical role in the success of producing safe and wholesome food products for consumers. Therefore, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) mandates that all youth exhibiting food animal projects participate annually in quality assurance programming. OSU Extension provides the leadership for implementing quality assurance programs, in partnership with agricultural education and agricultural societies.
Youth who take food animal projects, by participating in science-based experiential learning activities, learn how to ensure that the products from their 4-H food animals are safe for consumers, and that their actions inspire general public and consumer confidence in assuring well-cared-for animals and quality products.
Assuring Quality Care for Animals merges the current state-mandated Youth Food Animal Quality Assurance program with animal handling, care and welfare. It expands the scope and breadth of curriculum that is already in place to address the critical issues of quality assurance, food safety, and animal handling and welfare. Components of this program will raise public awareness of the importance of animal handling, care, and welfare in not only farm animal production, but also in the companion and performance animal industry. Furthermore, this program will build a general understanding of food safety to improve the confidence level of consumers toward a safe, wholesome food supply.