COLUMBUS — The 2009 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium will once again hit the road for this annual shepherd’s event. This year’s Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium will be held Dec. 12 at the Ohio Department of Agriculture Bromfield Building, 8995 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
The primary focus of the 2009 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium will be health management programs that will help sheep and goat producers stay profitable in the future.
The symposium will be in conjunction with the Small Ruminant Health Symposium and will cover information on the small ruminant species, sheep and goats.
Speakers
Main speakers of the day will include Richard Erhardt, small ruminant specialist, Michigan State University. Erhardt will be discussing several health preventative programs as they relate the health maintenance of the small ruminant animal, especially gestation, lambing, and lactation.
Keynote speaker for the day will be Candace Croney, animal behavior/bioethics specialist, The Ohio State University. Croney will be discussing animal welfare and animal rights.
The Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium will also be offering other topic areas and speakers as well that should be of interest to sheep and goat producers as well.
Speakers such as Dale Duerr, D.V.M. from Tuscarawas County, will discuss the “Development of a Flock and Herd Health Plan,” Bill Shulaw and Jeff Hayes of the Ohio Department of Agriculture will provide information on lamb and kid as well as adult small ruminant mortality, and tours will be offered of the ODA facility and programs such as an update on the USDA Scrapie program and Bio-security on the Farm.
Annual meeting
The Ohio Sheep Improvement Association annual meeting will also be held Dec. 12 at the Ohio Department of Agriculture Facility. The meeting will be the first item on the agenda at 8 a.m.
During the meeting, the election of a new OSIA officer team and directors will be held.
A tradeshow and silent auction which raises funds for the Ralph Grimshaw Memorial Scholarship Fund will be available.
More information
For more information, contact Roger A. High at 614-246-8299 or e-mail rhigh@ofbf.org.
