The Ohio Beef Expo, the premier event of Ohio's beef industry, takes place March 15 - 17 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus. This year's schedule once again includes breed sales, shows, educational seminars, trade show and a highly competitive junior show. Attendees will also be able to take part in a silent auction and social hour on Friday and Saturday.

SHOW PLACE: Ohio Expo Center will feature top cattle from acorrs the country for the annual Ohio Beef Expo.

The trade show, kicking off the Expo at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, will run throughout the event and features more than 100 exhibitors from 15 states. A series of educational seminars will run throughout Friday, giving producers an opportunity to gain useful knowledge from industry experts about advancements and current trends, and will allow producers to improve their own operations in areas such as marketing and herd management. A complete list of seminars is available at www.ohiobeefexpo.com

Cattle from across the country will be represented at the Expo through the breed shows, sales and displays. These features provide Expo attendees a first-hand look at breeds including Angus, Beefalo, Charolais, Chianina, Gelbvieh, Hereford, Limousin, Lowline, Maine-Anjou, Miniature Hereford, Murray Grey, Piedmontese, Shorthorn and Simmental. Breeders will be on hand to sell or display their cattle and anyone interested may view sale catalogs online at www.ohiobeefexpo.com by clicking on the sales link. For those unable to attend the sales, live streaming video will be provided on the Angus, Chianina, Hereford, Shorthorn and Simmental sales Saturday, March 16. Coverage can be accessed through the Expo website or liveauctions.tv.

Members of the Ohio Cattlemen's Association (OCA) can stop by the OCA booth at the trade show to register for a chance to win great prizes. Thanks to a new partnership with Franklin Equipment, all current OCA members have the opportunity to win big this year. During the prize drawing on Sunday one lucky OCA member will receive a one year's use of a New Holland skid steer loader, donated by Franklin Equipment. Current OCA members can have their name entered in the drawing by stopping by the OCA membership booth. Thanks to partnerships with J&J Steakbarn, Novartis Animal Health and Heritage Cooperative three membership prizes will be given. OCA members joining during the Expo will receive their chance at a $100 Gift Certificate to J&J Steakbarn, Novartis product and discounted offerings on Heritage Cooperative's Cattleman's Edge program. There will also be rewards for joining NCBA at the Ohio Beef Expo. Stop by the membership booth and learn more. The drawing for the County Affiliate Recruitment Contest will happen on Friday at 5 p.m. in the Trade Show. A special thanks to the Ohio Corn Marketing Program for sponsoring the winner's choice of a grill or set of Tru-Test Scales that a lucky county affiliate will receive as part of the Recruitment Contest.

~~~PAGE_BREAK_HERE~~~Cowboy Happy Hour, sponsored by Steve R. Rauch and Cox Concessions, will be held from 4 - 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday in the main aisle of the trade show. Also planned for this year is a silent auction to benefit OCA's PAC (Political Action Committee). The PAC auction will feature two days of silent bidding which will conclude at the end of the Cowboy Happy Hour on Friday and the other closing Saturday.

The ever-popular Genetic Pathway will once again be in the upper concourse of the Voinovich Livestock and Trade Center throughout the weekend. The country's best genetics will be featured with live bulls and females on display. Junior events this year include a welcome party on Friday. The competition will continue on Saturday with a judging contest and followed by junior showmanship. The finale of the weekend is the steer and heifer show kicking off Sunday at 8 a.m. A complete list of rules for the show can be found at www.ohiobeefexpo.com. Live streaming of the junior market animal show and heifer show will be provided through livestockworld.tv.

Three individuals will be recognized as Friends of the Ohio Beef Expo for their contribution to the event's annual success. Doug Conkle, Johnny Regula, and Wood County Beef Producers are this year's award recipients.

More than 30,000 visitors from 25 states and Canada routinely attend the Ohio Beef Expo. It is ranked as the sixth largest event hosted in central Ohio and is the premier location to meet Ohio's cattle producers. Don't miss it! If you are unable to attend the event, visit www.ohiobeefexpo.com for live feed. All results will be posted as they are available.