This page will provide county-specific information for the following projects:
Beef Dairy Llama & Alpaca Sheep Swine
117B Beef Breeding 122 Dairy Heifer   198 Market Lamb 139 Market Hog
117BF Beef Feeder 126 Dairy Cow   199 Sheep Breeding 140 Swine Breeding
117DF Dairy Beef Feeder        
117M Market Beef        

 

Beef

Market Beef Tag-In

Are you ready to begin another 4-H project year? If you are interested in exhibiting a market beef animal at the 2025 Tuscarawas County Fair, you are already thinking about selection, housing, feeding, and winter care. The information provided here pertains to market beef tag-in for 2025 exhibition. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.

Market beef tag-in will be December 14 from 9:00 a.m. to noon in the Main Show Arena at the Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds. For those with unavoidable scheduling conflicts, we have set aside December 16 from 6 to 7 p.m. You must pre-register for the 16th by calling our office by December 13. If arrangements are not made by December 13, you will not be permitted to tag-in or exhibit.

Members showing at any of the BEST sanctioned shows must have EID tags in their calves prior to the first show in which they exhibit. BEST shows prior to the December 14 tag-in date include:

  • Mardi Gras Masquerade, November 22-24, Circleville
  • AGR Holiday Classic, December 6-8, Columbus

REMINDERS:

  1. Only one market beef animal is permitted to be exhibited.
  1. Dairy market beef will only be permitted to be shown from the six recognized dairy breeds: Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein, Jersey, and Milking Shorthorn. No other dairy market beef will be permitted to be tagged in and exhibited. To have designated grand and reserve champion dairy beef at the Tuscarawas County Fair, there must be a minimum of 5 exhibiting at the fair.
  1. Tuscarawas County Bred, Born and Raised calves must be conceived, born, and raised in Tuscarawas County. You must enter in this class when completing your online fair entry.
  1. Market Heifer Class – Youth may choose to exhibit a heifer instead of a steer as their market beef project (effective 2020). All the same weight limits and rules for the steers still apply. Once a heifer is tagged in as a market beef animal in December, she is not permitted to be switched to beef breeding. There must be a minimum of three market heifers to have a designated market heifer class at the fair.
  2. Possesion Deadline - Once a market beef animal is tagged in under a 4-H or FFA member's name for the Tuscarawas County Fair, that animal is only permitted to be shown under that member's name. In the event the owner is not able to exhibit the animal, the animal may be exhibited by another Junior Fair exhibitor but only if it's in the owner's name. Not adhering to this rule will result in the member not being permitted to exhibit their animal at the 2025 Tuscarawas County fair.

Here are the 2024 tag-in procedures/guidelines:

  1. Tag-in at the December date is required for all 4-H and FFA market beef and dairy beef shown and sold at the 2025 Tuscarawas County Fair. There is no make up date. In case of inclement weather, please listen to WJER or WTUZ for more information.
  1. You may tag in one primary and a back-up for a total of two animals with one being eligible to exhibit at the Tuscarawas County Fair.
  2. Market exhibitors may designate one primary and one back-up for a total of two animals with one being eligible to exhibit at the Tuscarawas County Fair. Members residing in the same household (with at least one parent residing in the home) may share back-up animals if each back-up animal is registered to at least one exhibitor in the household. This may be a brother/sister, half-brother/half-sister or other nonrelated child with established residence in the home.
  1. CASTRATED CALVES ONLY! It is suggested that you obtain a slip from your vet to verify the procedure if you had it done just prior to tag-in.
  1. CALF MUST BE WEARING A HALTER AND BE HALTER BROKE! Animals will be dismissed that do not have a halter on in the trailer and when taken through the scales. Calves MUST be halter broke!
  2. The Ohio State Fair Beef Department protocols include the use of an electronic identification (EID) ear tag that has a unique 15-digit number and a DNA sample submitted for all market beef animals that exhibitors plan to enter in the 2025 Ohio State Fair Junior Market Beef Show.

The DNA collection will be in the form of a hair sample received by the Ohio State Fair by January 15, 2025, to meet the 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 packets, which will be available at tag-in.

You are responsible for making a State Fair entry. You must follow entry procedures in the Ohio State Fair Handbook. Obtain entry information from the Ohio State Fair web site (http://www.ohiostatefair.com/).

  1. Please help us notify anyone who did not exhibit a market beef in 2024 but will be taking a market beef in 2025. They must bring their animal(s) to tag-in.

Additional market project reminders:

  1. All market livestock exhibitors must attend a Quality Assurance (QA) Seminar in 2025. Dates TBD. Look for finalized QA dates on our social media sites (web site, Facebook, Instagram). 4-H advisors will also be aware of the dates.
  2. Begin record keeping as soon as you get your calf for the 2025 year. Complete guidelines will be available online. We have a very limited amount of project books and resource books at the office; contact us for purchasing information. Project and resource books can also be purchased online at https://extensionpubs.osu.edu.
  3. A Junior Fair exhibitor may only exhibit a total of five (5) animals at the county fair regardless of small or large and youth affiliation (4-H or FFA). Exhibitors may only receive two sale-generating checks. An exhibitor may receive a fair premium on three (3) total projects.
  4. The following steps must be complete to exhibit a market beef at the county fair:
    1. Animal tagged and weighed in on December 14 (or 16), 2025.
    2. Enrollment turned in by April 1, 2025. NOTE NEW DATE!
    3. Member’s attendance recorded at a QA meeting (or member tested out and picked up packet).
    4. Member must be in good standing with the enrolled club.
    5. NEW! Member completes animal registration in 4-H Online by June 2, 2025.
    6. Member attends Interview Judging and receives a Bronze or higher.
    7. Member turns in a completed fair entry by the deadline.
    8. Animal brought to the county fair by assigned time in good health condition.
    9. DUNF is complete, accurate, and animal is drug residue free.
    10. Animal must be properly cared for during the county fair, including bedding and feed.

Please contact us by email or phone (330-339-2337) if you have any questions concerning the requirements or with your project.

Ohio State Fair DNA Sample Collection

The Ohio State Fair Beef Department protocols include the use of an electronic identification (EID) ear tag that has a unique 15-digit number and a DNA sample submitted for all market beef animals that exhibitors plan to enter in the 2025 Ohio State Fair Junior Market Beef Show.

The DNA collection will be in the form of a hair sample received by the Ohio State Fair by January 15, 2025, (this is not a postmark date!) to meet the 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 packets, which will be available at tag-in.

You are responsible for making a State Fair entry. You are eligible to show in Open Class but must follow entry procedures in the Ohio State Fair Handbook. Obtain entry information from the Ohio State Fair web site (http://www.ohiostatefair.com/).

Click here for the 2025 Ohio State Fair DNA Sample Collection and Ohio State Fair Nomination Protocol Document.

 

Dairy

 

 

Llama & Alpaca

 

Sheep

Scrapie Tag Requirements - All Sheep

USDA Sheep Requirements Fact Sheet - explaining the national scrapie eradication program - for the following sheep projects: 198 and 199. Contact Chris Kendle with any questions.

Swine

The Ohio Department of Agriculture has provided the following important information for all hog exhibitors. Please read this information. Should you have any questions, please contact Chris Kendle.

  • Hogs must have hair over their entire body with the exception of the ears and tail.

  • All hair on the hog must be a minimum ½” in length.

  • DO NOT PURCHASE A HOG THAT HAS BEEN CLIPPED as there are no guarantees that the hair will grow back long enough in the ensuing months.

  • Be extra careful if purchasing a Hampshire or Duroc (Duroc especially) as these breeds are prone to being born hairless. Do not buy a hog of either breed that has been clipped as the chances of it growing enough hair is greatly diminished.

  • Do not clip your hog at all, there is no need and the risk is too great.

  • The fact that a hog was born without hair or hair of an insufficient length will not be a valid excuse, these hogs will be denied entry to the fair.

Enforcement of Market Hog Hair Rule

The Tuscarawas County Sr. Fair Board will strictly enforce the 1/2-inch hair rule on all market hogs at the Tuscarawas County Fair. It has been made clear that any hog with hair less than 1/2-inch in length will be required to leave the fairgrounds. In addition, ODA recommends that exhibitors not purchase a hog that has already been clipped. Click here for more information.

Market Hog ID Process

Place RFID (electronic identification) ear tag in either the right or left ear of the animal. Place tag on the backside of ear - not on the inside - and try to avoid the veins in the ear.

Animal registration must done online; see the "Instructions for Registering Market Hog Project Animals Through 4-H Online" included with the project guidelines. Uploaded photos must be in color.

Replacement Tags: If your hog loses a tag before the fair, the Market Livestock Committee will provide a replacement RFID tag for $3 (exact amount only). Replacement tags can be purchased and picked up at the Extension office. The member will need to bring in new photos of animal (2" x 3" - wallet size); include exhibitor's name, club name, and tag number on back of picture(s). If a tag falls out, you must contact the OSU Extension office as soon as possible. If you do not report it, your hog could be disqualified.

Detailed information about the ID process can be found with the project guidelines.