ATHENS, Ohio — A small ruminant production school for sheep and goat producers will be held this winter in Athens County.
The school will be held five consecutive Tuesday evenings beginning Jan. 27 and continuing Feb. 3, 10, 17 and 24.
The school will be held at the Athens County Extension meeting room and will run from 6:30-8:45 p.m. each evening.
OSU Extension, Athens County and the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association are sponsors of the school.
This is envisioned as the first of several multi-week schools for sheep and goat producers that will be offered over the next several years.
Focus
The 2009 school will focus on marketing and breed selection.
Though marketing is often presented as the last step in educational programs, it needs to be thought about early on when developing a sheep or goat enterprise.
A successful sheep or goat enterprise should be put together working backwards from where animals will be marketed.
Some breeds and production systems fit certain markets better than others. Some producers may only want to consider a limited range of market options.
Understanding what marketing options are available and what type of animal each particular market wants can help to define breed selection and/or production systems.
On the other hand, if a producer is locked into a certain breed and/or production system, understanding markets may offer insight into where/how their farm’s animals should be marketed for best returns.
Topics
Topics that will be covered at the small ruminant production school include:
Ethnic Marketing Options for Sheep and Goats, Katherine Harrison-Haley, Blystone Farm, Canal Winchester.
Meat Goat Breed Selection, Dave Mangione, Extension educator, Ross County.
Producing for the Commercial Sheep Market, Rick Reynolds, manager, United Producers Inc., Mount Vernon.
Marketing Considerations/Direct Marketing, Don Van Nostran, Athens County sheep producer.
Sheep Breed Selection: Roger High, OSU Extension sheep specialist, director, Ohio Sheep Improvement Association.
Current Issues in Sheep and Goat Production, Rory Lewandowski, Extension educator, Athens County and Curt Cline, Athens County sheep producer.
Carcass Evaluation: Understanding Your Product from a Consumer Perspective, Paul Kuber, OSU Extension meat specialist.
Pulling it All Together/ Matching Animal to Pasture Production, Daryl Clark, retired OSU Extension educator and Muskingum County sheep producer.
Cost
The cost of the course is $25 and includes registration and materials for one to two people from a farm business and $10 for each additional person from the same farm operation.
Cost includes speaker fees, handout materials and refreshments.
Make checks payable to Athens County Extension. Pre-registration is requested to the Athens County Extension office by Jan. 23.
More information. For more information call 740-593-8555 or e-mail Rory Lewandowski at lewandowski.11@osu.edu.
