BEEF PROJECTS

2024 Beef Project Important Dates

December 1, 2022 Born After Date (Market Steers/Heifers) Posession Date: January 12th, 2024
January 13th, 2024 Market Beef Weigh-In 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Fairgrounds
January 13th, 2024 Carcass Steer Entries & County Bred Forms Due  9:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Fairgrounds
May 4th, 2024 Beef Feeder Calf Weigh-In 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Fairgrounds
July 10th, 2024 Live Carcass Steer Contest 7:00 PM, Fairgrounds
July 12th, 2024 Drug Use Notification Forms (DUNF) Due CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT ONLINE FORM
July 17th, 2024 Junior Fair Beef Show See full schedule in fair book

Beef Project Forms & Resources: 

  

Market Beef & Dairy Steer Weigh-In: 

Market Steer, Market Heifer, and Dairy Steer Weigh-in will be Saturday, January 13th, 2024 at the Jackson County Fairgrounds from 9:00-11:00 AM.

PLEASE READ THESE IMPORTANT NOTES: 

  • Exhibitors must register their cattle ahead of the weigh-in at: https://go.osu.edu/janweighin

  • If we need to cancel due to bad weather, the weigh-in will be rescheduled for January 20th, 2024 from 9-11 AM. 

  • There is a $5 pen fee per animal. 

  • County Bred forms must be filled out and turned in at the weigh-in. County Bred forms can be found below. 

  • Carcass Class forms must be filled out and turned in at the weigh-in. Carcass Class forms can be found below under "Carcass Class Information & Rules"

  • Market Beef animals must be born after December 1st, 2022. 

  • All steers must be castrated by 8 months of age per ODA guidelines. 

  • Market Heifers follow the same rules as Market Steers. Market Heifers must not be pregnant and any embryo flushing is NOT allowed. 

  • All cattle must have a halter with a lead strap on before exiting the trailer or they will not be weighed. Any animals deemed too dangerous to handle will not be weighed or exhibited at the Jackson County Junior Fair. 

 

Spring Weigh-In: 

Market Goats, Market Lambs, Market Hogs, Market Beef Feeder Calves, & Dairy Market Feeder Calves weigh-in will be Saturday, May 4th, 2024 at the Jackson County Fairgrounds from 9:00-11:00 AM.

PLEASE READ THESE IMPORTANT NOTES: 

  • Please pre-register your animals by May 1st at go.osu.edu/SpringWeighIn

  • There is a $5 pen fee per animal. 

  • County Bred forms must be filled out and turned in at the weigh-in. County Bred forms can be found below. 

  • Please see the rulebook for required birthdates and possession dates.

  • All cattle must have a halter with a lead strap on before exiting the trailer or they will not be weighed. Any animals deemed too dangerous to handle will not be weighed or exhibited at the Jackson County Junior Fair.

 

Market Steer Carcass Class (2024)

Carcass Class Information & Rules DOWNLOAD: PDF

Carcass Class Exhibitors: When entering the fairgrounds for the July 10th live show, please enter the fairgrounds through Gate 4. Cattle are allowed to be shown from their trailer or, if they are showing another beef animal later in the week, the pen assigned to them. Animals must be cleaned up after before leaving the fairgrounds.

Weigh-in will begin at 5:00 PM, with the show starting at 7:00 PM. Exhibitors can arrive to the fairgrounds at any time July 10th to prepare and settle in for show.

Spectators are invited to attend and watch the carcass class’s live, on-hoof show Wednesday, July 10th at 7:00 PM and to Circle M Meats on Thursday, July 18th at noon to experience the hanging carcass show to hear from the judge as they explain the placings for those Carcass Steers on display.

 

Ohio State Fair:

The Ohio State Fair (OSF) Beef Department is once again using EID ear tag and DNA sample protocols for identifying market beef animals for the Ohio State Fair. These protocols include the use of an electronic identification (EID) ear tag that has a unique 15-digit number and a DNA sample that will be submitted for all market beef animals that exhibitors plan to enter in the Ohio State Fair Junior Market Beef show. EID tags and DNA sample kits can be picked up at the Jackson County OSU Extension Office, and are available at Market Beef Weigh-In. 

The DNA collection will be in the form of a hair follicle sample that will be submitted to the OSF by January 15, 2024 to meet the state fair ownership deadlines for market beef animals. Along with the DNA hair submission, each market animal’s 15-digit EID tag must also be included on the DNA packet.  If you plan on showing at the OSF, contact the office to make arrangements to get your animal tagged early. Entries MUST be received by the January 15 deadline, NOT just postmarked by that day! No DNA samples will be collected by Jackson County staff. The owner will be responsible for collecting the DNA sample (instructions provided), completing the requested registration information on the packet, having the entry signed by an FFA advisor (for FFA entries) or the Extension Educator (for 4-H entries), and submitting their completed packet to the OSF by the deadline.

Market and Breeding Beef class entries are due ONLINE by June 21st, 2024.

For more information about the Ohio State Fair Market Beef nomination process visit the State Fair website at http://www.ohiostatefair.com/.