MONROE — Green County Fair swine exhibitors will be required to self-identify their pigs using a new method for this year.
Exhibitors will be required to tag their own pigs and do photo identification for each fair pig. There will be no cost for the Swine Photo Identification Kits this year. Exhibitors will also be given two RFID ear tags for each animal at no additional cost. Swine photo identification kits and ear tags will only be available for pickup as of March 29 at the Green County Extension Office, 2841 6th St, Monroe. They need to be returned to the office by April 16.
The kits cannot be mailed.
Photos of each pig must be taken from three different views, head view, rear view and side profile. Photos must be attached to the Green County Fair Swine Photo Identification Form and submitted to the Extension Green County office by April 16.
The Extension office will loan out ear taggers for exhibitors to use for tagging their pigs. The taggers must be returned to the Extension office and will be sanitized before being given to another farm to prevent the spread of disease. 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 for all the kits that they pick up at the Extension office.
Each kit will include the photo identification forms and two RFID ear tags for each pig to be identified. The photo identification forms must be returned to the Extension Office by April 16 and completed forms should not be mailed.
When picking up pig identification kits, exhibitors will be provided with instructions on correct procedures for taking the photos and placing the RFID ear tags. Only pigs identified using the Green County ID kits will be eligible to exhibit at the 2019 Green County Fair.
All pigs, including both market gilts and market barrows need to be self-identified and submit hair samples. Each exhibitor can identify a maximum 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 to sell in the Green County fair livestock auction. The 2018 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.
Exhibitors will be allowed to sell either a gilt or barrow in the 2019 auction. Exhibitors no longer need to attend a mandatory auction meeting. However, they will still need to turn in two signed buyer cards to the Green County Extension office by June 28 to be eligible to sell in the auction. The cards will be available on-line for printing after May 1. Hard copies of the buyer cards will also be available at the Green County Extension office.
All Green County swine exhibitors are required to be certified in the Youth for the Quality Care of Animals program prior to April 16. If you have not already completed this training, directions on how to certify will be explained when the swine identifications are picked up at the Green County Extension office. Each individual Green County swine exhibitor must submit a copy of their YQCA Certificate of Completion, to the Extension Green County office, by 4:30 p.m. April 16 in order to be eligible to exhibit and sell market hogs at the 2019 Green County Fair.
Swine exhibitors will also 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 Extension office by June 28 with the signed buyer cards.
For more information, contact the office at 608-328-9440.
