MONROE - Green County Fair swine exhibitors will be required to self-identify their pigs using the same method that was used last year. Exhibitors will be required to tag their own pigs and pull hair samples for DNA testing from each fair pig.
The cost of the DNA test kits will be $5 per pig. Exhibitors also will be given two RFID ear tags for each animal at no additional cost. DNA test kits and ear tags will only be available for pickup at the Green County Extension office, 2841 6th St., Monroe.
The DNA kits and ear tags will be available for pick up starting April 1. Each kit will include an envelope for hair samples and two RFID ear tags for each pig to be identified. The DNA hair samples and registration forms must be returned to the Green County Extension by April 18. The hair samples and completed forms cannot be mailed. Hair samples will be pulled from the champion pigs along with several pigs at random at the fair this summer. DNA tests then will be run to ensure the pigs are the same as those that were tagged by exhibitors this spring.
The Green County University of Wisconsin-Extension office will loan out ear taggers for exhibitors to use for tagging their pigs. The taggers must be returned to the UW-Extension office and will be sanitized before being given to another farm to prevent the spread of disease. Exhibitors will be required to pay the $5 fee for each DNA testing kit when they pick them up. Leaders of 4-H and agriculture instructors will be allowed to pick up ID kits for their members. However, they will be required to sign and pay for all the kits they pick up at the UW-Extension office.
When picking up pig identification kits, exhibitors will be provided with instructions on the correct procedures for pulling the DNA hair samples and placing the RFID ear tags. The DNA hair sample envelopes will need to be signed by both the exhibitor and a parent. Only pigs that are identified using the Green County ID kits will be eligible to exhibit at the 2016 Green County Fair.
All pigs, including both market gilts and market barrows, need to be self-identified and have hair samples submitted. Each exhibitor can identify a maximum total of five pigs. Exhibitors will be allowed to bring a maximum of four total pigs, no more than two of which can be market gilts.
Pigs must weigh at least 225 pounds by the fair to exhibit and at least 235 pounds to sell in the Green County Fair livestock auction. The 2016 Green County show will continue to be a terminal show with all pigs going directly to a terminal market after the fair to eliminate the possible spread of any diseases.
There are two major rule changes this year relating to swine that will be sold through the Green County Fair Meat Animal Auction. One rule change allows exhibitors to sell either a gilt or barrow in the 2016 auction. The other change is that the mandatory auction orientation meeting has been discontinued: Exhibitors will no longer need to attend a mandatory auction meeting. However, exhibitors will still need to turn in two signed buyer cards to the Green County Extension office by July 1 to be eligible to sell in the auction. The cards will be available online for printing after May 1. Hard copies of the buyer cards also will be available at the UW-Extension office.
All Green County swine exhibitors are required to be certified in the Meat Animal Quality Assurance Program prior to June 1 to be eligible to exhibit swine at the Green County Fair. MAQA classes will be held on May 12 and 14, and exhibitors can sign up for one of the classes when they pick up their swine identification kits.
Swine exhibitors also will be required to complete swine health verification forms that include any medical treatments that were administered to the project animal. These forms will be distributed to exhibitors when they pick up their ID kits and must also be turned in to the Green County UW-Extension office by July 1. For more information, contact Mark Mayer, UW-Extension agriculture agent, at 608-328-9440.
The cost of the DNA test kits will be $5 per pig. Exhibitors also will be given two RFID ear tags for each animal at no additional cost. DNA test kits and ear tags will only be available for pickup at the Green County Extension office, 2841 6th St., Monroe.
The DNA kits and ear tags will be available for pick up starting April 1. Each kit will include an envelope for hair samples and two RFID ear tags for each pig to be identified. The DNA hair samples and registration forms must be returned to the Green County Extension by April 18. The hair samples and completed forms cannot be mailed. Hair samples will be pulled from the champion pigs along with several pigs at random at the fair this summer. DNA tests then will be run to ensure the pigs are the same as those that were tagged by exhibitors this spring.
The Green County University of Wisconsin-Extension office will loan out ear taggers for exhibitors to use for tagging their pigs. The taggers must be returned to the UW-Extension office and will be sanitized before being given to another farm to prevent the spread of disease. Exhibitors will be required to pay the $5 fee for each DNA testing kit when they pick them up. Leaders of 4-H and agriculture instructors will be allowed to pick up ID kits for their members. However, they will be required to sign and pay for all the kits they pick up at the UW-Extension office.
When picking up pig identification kits, exhibitors will be provided with instructions on the correct procedures for pulling the DNA hair samples and placing the RFID ear tags. The DNA hair sample envelopes will need to be signed by both the exhibitor and a parent. Only pigs that are identified using the Green County ID kits will be eligible to exhibit at the 2016 Green County Fair.
All pigs, including both market gilts and market barrows, need to be self-identified and have hair samples submitted. Each exhibitor can identify a maximum total of five pigs. Exhibitors will be allowed to bring a maximum of four total pigs, no more than two of which can be market gilts.
Pigs must weigh at least 225 pounds by the fair to exhibit and at least 235 pounds to sell in the Green County Fair livestock auction. The 2016 Green County show will continue to be a terminal show with all pigs going directly to a terminal market after the fair to eliminate the possible spread of any diseases.
There are two major rule changes this year relating to swine that will be sold through the Green County Fair Meat Animal Auction. One rule change allows exhibitors to sell either a gilt or barrow in the 2016 auction. The other change is that the mandatory auction orientation meeting has been discontinued: Exhibitors will no longer need to attend a mandatory auction meeting. However, exhibitors will still need to turn in two signed buyer cards to the Green County Extension office by July 1 to be eligible to sell in the auction. The cards will be available online for printing after May 1. Hard copies of the buyer cards also will be available at the UW-Extension office.
All Green County swine exhibitors are required to be certified in the Meat Animal Quality Assurance Program prior to June 1 to be eligible to exhibit swine at the Green County Fair. MAQA classes will be held on May 12 and 14, and exhibitors can sign up for one of the classes when they pick up their swine identification kits.
Swine exhibitors also will be required to complete swine health verification forms that include any medical treatments that were administered to the project animal. These forms will be distributed to exhibitors when they pick up their ID kits and must also be turned in to the Green County UW-Extension office by July 1. For more information, contact Mark Mayer, UW-Extension agriculture agent, at 608-328-9440.
