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Bio-security reminders ahead of Indiana’s State Fair

With the Indiana State Fair just a few weeks away, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health is reminding

livestock owners and exhibitors to implement good bio-security practices while they’re at the fair.

Indiana State veterinarian Dr. Bret Marsh says no one knows their livestock better than the exhibitors.  “If the pig is acting unusual or is sick – if it is sick – don’t bring it to the fair,” he says.  “Just make sure we don’t have those animals here.  If they get sick while they are here – we will work with the exhibitors.”

He says exhibitors will see a change when checking livestock in this year.  “Because we’ve already gone this far in the county fair exhibition season – we won’t be taking the temperatures of all the pigs at the state fair,” he says.  “Only a portion of the pigs will have their snouts wiped as part of the influenza program.  Also this year, the state fair is requiring 840 Tags of all the pigs at the time of registration.  So the check-in process will be much, much quicker.”

If the livestock is returning to the farm following exhibition, Marsh tells Brownfield exhibitors should make sure the animals are isolated from the rest of the herd for at least seven days.

AUDIO: Dr. Bret Marsh, BOAH (1:30mp3)