By SUSAN MYKRANTZ Ohio Correspondent WOOSTER, Ohio Improving profitability in sheep operations through nutrition, reproduction, economics and marketing will highlight the list of topics at the 2017 Buckeye Shepherds Symposium. This year the event is scheduled for Dec. 1-2 at Fisher Auditorium and Shisler Conference Center, on the Wooster campus of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center on Madison Avenue. The symposium will kick off Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. with a presentation on the use of a simulation model looking at the profitability of various sheep production operations, finishing lambs on grass versus grain and feeding ewe lambs for maximum growth and production. The Saturday session begins at 8 a.m. with the annual meeting of the Ohio Sheep Improvement Assoc. (OSIA), followed by a presentation on the Howard Wyman Sheep Industry School and an update on the USDA Scrapie Program presented by Dr. Mark Lyon. The morning session will conclude with three breakout sessions. Track 1 will focus on sheep reproduction, Track 2 will focus on marketing and economics and Track 3 will focus on novice and beginning shepherds. The afternoon session will open with comments from Dr. Cathann Kress, dean of the College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Science at The Ohio State University, and Dr. John Foltz, chair of the Department of Animal Sciences, followed by the OSIA awards program. OSIA will recognize its Distinguished Service recipient, Friend of the Ohio Sheep Industry Charles Boyles, Master Shepherd, and the Environmental Stewardship Award winner. It will also recognize the Ralph Grimshaw Memorial Scholarship Award recipient and present the State 4-H Sheep Award and the State FFA Sheep Proficiency Award. The afternoon session will conclude with breakout sessions Track 1 will focus on reproduction, Track 2 on marketing and Track 3, on novice and beginning shepherds. The deadline for registration is Nov. 17. For participants planning to attend the Friday afternoon session only, the cost for members is $15 before the deadline and $25 after, and the cost for non-members is $30 before and $45 after. The cost for college students ages 18-22 is $5 before the deadline and $10 after. For participants planning to attend Saturday, the cost for members is $35 before and $45 after the deadline and registration for non-members is $50 before and $65 after. For college students, its $15 before the deadline and $25 after. This year, the Saturday program is free for high school students, as part of an ATI recruiting program. Dues to the OSIA are $35 for a family, farm or individual and $15 for a youth member. Dues for an association are $35, and corporate or allied industries may join for $100. Make checks payable to Ohio Sheep Improvement Association and mail to: OSIA-BSS 2017, P.O. Box 182383, Columbus, OH 43218-2383. For more information, call 614-246-8293, email ahurst@ofbf.org or visit www.ohiosheep.org The 2017 Buckeye Shepherds Symposium is a joint project of the OSIA, the Ohio Sheep and Wool Program and OSU. |
