The Fair

Livestock Health Requirements

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2011 EXHIBITION LIVESTOCK HEALTH REQUIREMENTS/PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

Leonard E. Eldridge, DVM, WA State Veterinarian

1. Each fair should have an official fair veterinarian in attendance.

2. Individual Certificate of Veterinary Inspections on Washington animals are not required for entry into the fair. If the fair requires a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection on in-state animals then a private veterinarian can issue a blanket Certificate of Veterinary Inspection per group or individual.

3. No animal from a quarantined area or premise may be permitted to enter the fair or show.
 
4. Out of state animal entries must comply with State of Washington import regulations. No exemptions unless exempted by rule.
 
5. Fair veterinarians should inspect all classes of livestock and poultry (including but not limited to cattle, sheep, swine, horses, pet animals, rabbits, fur-bearing animals, pigeons, ducks, geese and turkeys, etc.) before they are exhibited to determine that the livestock and poultry show no clinical indications of contagious, infectious diseases and ectoparasites.
 
6. Fair veterinarians can reject any animal they feel should not be at the fair due to severe diseases.  Contagious, non-life threatening diseases such as ringworm, warts, pinkeye, strangles, contagious ecthyma, scabies, lice, mites, ticks and fleas may be allowed and are left to the judgment of the Fair Veterinarian.

7. Fair veterinarians must check out-of-state exhibitors for proper import documents and required testing.
 
8. Animals exhibiting disease symptoms during the course of the fair should be rejected by the fair veterinarian and removed from the exhibit area.
 
9. It is strongly recommended, but not required, that cattle be vaccinated in the current show year against the respiratory diseases.
 
10. The fair veterinarian's professional decision as to the health status of an animal will be final and be upheld by the Fair Board.

11. It is strongly recommended to supply separate barns for separate species. Wash racks, show rings, and loading and unloading equipment should not be shared between cattle and sheep/goats. If this is not possible, cattle should be exhibited first, then exhibit the sheep/goats. Practice good animal health bio-security which includes cleaning and disinfection.

Show and fair boards may require additional tests or vaccinations such as Leptopirosis vaccination or Brucellosis testing. Additional health rquirements will be listed in the fair Premium Book.

POLICY ALLOWING ENTRY OF NON-VACCINATED CANADIAN CATTLE BEING EXHIBITED AT WASHINGTON FAIRS.

Our minimal animal health requirements on non-vaccinated Canadian cattle for count, district and state fairs are as follows:

"Out-of-state animal entries must comply with Washington State import requirements."

Our policy will be to allow non-vaccinated Canadian cattle entry to the fair and return to Canada provided the fair board rules allow non-vaccinates to be exhibited. A Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, an entry permit number, a negative Tuberculosis test within 60 days of shipment and a negative Brucellosis test within 30 days of shipment are required.

If the cattle remain in the state, they must meet Washington Brucellosis and brand program requirements. They will be CAN branded by a representative of the Animal Services Division.

 
2011 EXHIBITION HEALTH REQUIREMENTS FOR OUT-OF-STATE LIVESTOCK
 
Entry permits are required for all out-of-state cattle and swine. A blanket permit to each fair will be issued upon request by calling (360) 902-1878.
 
All out-of-state animals going to the fairs must have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection except for Idaho and Oregon dogs, horses, sheep, goats, alpacas and llamas traveling into Washington with their owners in personal vehicles for roundtrip visits of not more than 96 hours provided the fair/show management provides veterinary inspection on arrival and rejects any unhealthy animals. This exemption does not apply during emergency disease conditions declared by the State Veterinarian or extend to any required testing.
 
OUT-OF-STATE CATTLE
 
All cattle are required to have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (health certificate) listing official individual identification and an import number, which may be a blanket permit number issued to individual fairs.

All dairy bulls over six months and any dairy females over 20 months require a negative brucellosis test within 30 days of shipment if being sold. No test required if for show only.
 
Any dairy bulls and heifers over six months of age require a negative Tuberculosis test within 60 days of shipment.
 
Any breed cattle over six months of age from the states of California, Michigan, Minnesota and New Mexico and the countries of Canada and Mexico require a negative Tuberculosis test within 60 days of shipment.

All cattle are required to have an ownership inspection (brand) from the state of origin prior to entering the fair.

All cattle used for rodeo or timed events must have a negative Tuberculosis test within 12 months of entry into Washington State.

All bulls over 12 months of age that will be sold during the fair require a negative bovine Trichomoniasis qPCR test or culture test if the origin state recognizes that test, within 30 days before import or have a certifying statement that they are virgin bulls under 12 months of age and have had no breeding contact with female cattle.

All cattle are required to have an ownership inspection (brand) from the state of origin prior to entering the fair.

OUT-OF-STATE HORSES
 
All horses must have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and horses over 6 months of age are required to have evidence of a negative test for (EIA) equine infectious anemia within twelve months of entry. Horses from the state of Oregon are exempt from the EIA test.

Horses from Idaho and Oregon on a round trip of 96 hours or less are exempt from the requirement of a certificate of veterinary inspection provided the fair/show management provides veterinary inspection on arrival and rejects any unhealthy animals.
 
All horses are required to have an ownership inspection (brand) from the state of origin prior to entering the fair.

Any horses coming from Texas must call the State Vet at 360-902-1878 for special instructions for entry requirements.

OUT-OF-STATE SHEEP AND GOATS
 
All sheep and goats are required to have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and all rams require an entry permit number.  All sheep and goats must have official scrapie identification.  Sheep and goats from Idaho and Oregon on a round trip of 96 hours or less are exempt from the requirement of a Certification of Veterinary Inspection provided the fair/show provides veterinary inspection on arrival and rejects any unhealthy animals.  For stays longer than 96 hours they must meet Washington State import requirements. If lactating goats are entering, their milk must be discarded during any stay in Washington unless they have been tested for Brucellosis and Tuberculosis and Q fever.

Any breed ram that may be sold at the fair and is over 6 months of age requires a negative test for Brucella ovis. Any black-faced ram offered for sale requires a genotype test for Scrapie and must show a test result of QR or RR.

OUT-OF-STATE SWINE
 
All swine are required to have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and an import permit number, which may be a blanket permit number issued to that fair.
 
All swine over six months of age coming from the state of Texas must be negative to a Brucellosis test within 30 days prior to entry unless they originate from a validated Brucellosis free herd..
    
OUT-OF-STATE LLAMAS and ALPACAS
 
All llamas and alpacas are required to have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection except alpacasa and llamaa from Idaho and Oregon on a round trip of 96 hours or less provided the fair/show management provides veterinary inspection on arrival and rejects any unhealthy animals.
 
OUT-OF-STATE POULTRY
 
All poultry entering Washington State for exhibition purposes must be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (health inspection) within 30 days of shipment.
 
All chickens and game birds entering Washington State for exhibition must originate from an NPIP participant flock that has met Pullorum-Typhoid and Avian Influenza classification requirements or has tested negative for Pullorum-Typhoid and Avian Influenza within 30 days of shipment.

All waterfowl entering Washington State for exhibition must originate from an NPIP participant flock
that has met Pullorum-Typhoid and Avian Influenza classification requirements or has tested negative for Pullorum-Typhoid and Avian Influenza within 30 days of shipment.

All turkeys entering Washington State for exhibition must originate from an NPIP participant flock that has met Pullorum-Typhoid, Avian Influenza, Mycoplasma Gallisepticum and Mycoplasma Synoviae classification requirements or has tested negative for Pullorum-Typhoid,Avian Influenza,  Mycoplasma Gallisepticum and Mycoplasma Synoviae within 30 days of shipment.

IN-STATE POULTRY

 As a reminder, all poultry going to exhibit must test negative for Salmonella Pullorum-Typhoid (P-T). This rule applies to chickens, exotic fowl, and game birds; but excludes waterfowl, doves and pigeons. Exhibitors that meet one of the two options below do not need to have their birds P-T tested prior to exhibit:

1. The exhibitor is a participant in the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP); or
2. Within the past twelve months, the show birds were bought from:
   
   • NPIP participants;
   • Hatcheries; or
   • Feed stores

Exhibitors that do not meet the criteria above must test negative for P-T within 90 days of going to exhibit. Exhibitors can meet the requirements below:

1. A veterinarian, vet tech or trained personnel can draw 1/2 cc of blood from each bird and send the samples to the WSU Avian Health and Food Safety Lab in Puyallup; or
2. A WSDA field veterinarian can perform P-T testing at the fair (applicalbe fee will apply). If you are interested in this service you can contact Julie at 360-725-5762