From the Desk of the State Veterinarian, Dr. Dennis Summers, State Veterinarian and Animal Health Division Chief
Ohio’s Livestock Exhibition Rules, Livestock Show Reform Act, and state Livestock Exhibition Program are nationally and internationally recognized for being some of the best in the country and the world. Ohio and all its livestock producers and exhibitors help to keep Ohio as a top state for exhibition regulations and superior quality exhibition livestock.
In this newsletter, we aim to provide key topics and discussions on the most important and current topics related to livestock exhibition rules. It is important that all sponsors, exhibitors, producers, and veterinarians understand these new rules and be familiar with the changes and expectations. Failure to read and understand these rules, or ignoring the requirements, may have a negative impact on an exhibitor and their family. The goal is to provide information in various formats so that everyone can exhibit and enjoy the rewards of their hard work while following the law.
The 2024 fair season was another great year, and we know that 2025 will be even better. Thanks for your support!
5 Frequently Asked Questions
1) What livestock are required to complete a Drug Use Notification Form (DUNF)
A drug use notification form is to be completed for the following livestock exhibited in a junior livestock show: market beef; market hog; market lamb; veal calf; market dairy cattle; market goats; market poultry; lactating dairy animals; market rabbits; and feeder cattle. **Please review Fairfield County Junior Fair Book for a complete list of species.
2) What is Exhibition Drug Residue legal?
All livestock shall be exhibition drug residue legal (EDRL) prior to the start of the show in which the livestock is entered into for exhibition. This includes market, non-terminal, open, and breeding classes. This means that all exhibition livestock:
- must be slaughter eligible at time of show;
- have only been administered an approved drug, for which the withdrawal time has elapsed and met tolerance;
- have not been administered an unapproved drug;
- do not contain an unlawful substance.
**Please review Fairfield County Junior Fair Book as we require all livestock to be Exhibition Drug Residue legal at fair weigh-in/check-in.
3) Do feeder calves and lactating cattle have to meet the same drug residue or withdrawal times as market class animals?
Yes. All livestock shall be exhibition drug residue legal (EDRL) prior to the start of the show in which the livestock is entered into for exhibition. This means that drugs, including but not limited to, pain killers, steroids, antibiotics, dewormers, and vaccines, must have met withdrawal times and tolerance by time of show to be eligible. This will require responsible use, recordkeeping, and stewardship of drugs and quality assurance on behalf of the veterinarian and exhibitor. ODA expects exhibitors to maintain the highest ethical standards when completing drug use notification forms to ensure that drugs and treatments are properly disclosed and to ensure exhibition livestock maintain EDRL status at time of show.
4) Can vaccines be given to animals before the show?
As stated above, all livestock must be exhibition drug residue legal at the time of show. This means that all vaccines, dewormers, and medications must meet their withdrawal period by the day of show. Vaccines and preventive drugs should be part of managing disease during stressful commingling events with livestock, such as exhibitions. The rules do not prohibit the use of vaccines as part of an effective disease prevention program designed by the official veterinarian, fair board, or your private veterinarian. But vaccines are drugs with a withdrawal time, and if those medications are given as preconditioning before coming to the fairgrounds, they must be given far enough in advance to take into the account the withdrawal period for those medications and drugs. In some circumstances, sponsors may have to adjust their prevention programs or policies in consultation with the official veterinarian to ensure that exhibitors maintain eligibility for the show.
5) Are vaccines considered drugs? How does this impact drug testing?
Yes, vaccines are considered drugs. The federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&Act) defines drugs as “articles intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease,” and vaccines meet this definition. Additionally, under the exhibition rules, “drug” means “any article…intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in humans or animals or any article, other than food, intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of humans or animals…”
There is growing support to expand drug testing to other classes of livestock exhibition, such as junior livestock exhibition non-terminal shows. Beginning in 2025, the state program will offer testing for market meat goats, market dairy goats, and feeder calves (non-terminal) on a voluntary basis. If a fair or sponsor voluntarily wishes to have animals in these additional classes tested, the state will test in the same manner as other market classes. Regardless, all exhibition livestock must maintain the same status at the time of show, which is exhibition drug residue legal.
Guidance Documents and Resources
Download a copy of the updated ODA FAQ, which includes 22 additional questions not listed above.
Exhibition Guidance and Best Practice Checklist
To see the current rules:
RFID tags and ODA’s RFID Loan Reader Program
Ohio’s Exhibition Rules including Ohio Administrative Code 901:1-18 and Ohio Administrative Code 901-19 were updated May 23, 2024. Beginning January 1, 2027, all cattle and swine will be required to have official ear tags at exhibitions in Ohio. Official ear tags are USDA-approved electronic identification devices that are both visibly and electronically readable (i.e. 840 RFID tag).
Currently, free official RFID ear tags are available from ODA for cattle exhibitors that have a Premises ID. Additionally, official RFID tags can be purchased from vendors and distributors.
To assist Ohio fairs and exhibitions with the requirement to have RFID ear tags in all swine, ODA has purchased Allflex HDX button RFID ear tags approved for swine. Each fair is eligible for an initial distribution of up to 100 free swine RFID ear tags. To request tags, please contact Cindy Bodie at Cindy.Bodie@agri.ohio.gov or call the ODA office at 614-728-6220 ext 1.
Many (at least 35) of Ohio’s county and independent fairs are already using RFID tags in some capacity; we expect that number will grow with the new exhibition rules in place (see above). While the requirement to have official ID that is electronically readable does not require fairs and other exhibitions to utilize an RFID reader, doing so can certainly help reduce transcription errors and improve efficiency. Several fair software programs, including FairEntry and ShoWorks, allow for RFID tag data to be gathered and transmitted directly to the program.
ODA has RFID readers available for loan to Ohio veterinarians, livestock markets, exhibitions, and producers. There are different models and manufacturers including the Allflex AWR 300 and RS 420 and the TruTest (Datamars) XRS2i. The readers are available for loan free of charge on a first come, first served basis, so please contact us early to get your reservation. You can start the reservation process by submitting a request form—more information is also available on the ODA Animal Health website: RFID | Ohio Department of Agriculture. Additional questions can be directed to our office at 614-728-6220 ext 1.
Pullorum Testing in Poultry
In the past, there was confusion around when to pullorum test poultry at county fairs. Starting for the 2025 fair season and going forward, all market chickens and market turkeys that are bought from an NPIP source do NOT have to be pullorum tested before exhibition.
As a part of the NPIP program, those hatcheries and flocks continue to be a part of a testing program to ensure pullorum free status. Even if an individual brings those market poultry to their property where they have other birds present (layers, fancy birds, etc.), they do NOT need to be retested.
The above exemption is for market poultry projects (turkeys, chickens) only. If individuals are showing in a fancy or breeding poultry show (typically these projects are multi-year projects), those birds MAY be subject to pullorum testing.
The fairs and exhibitions may have more stringent rules than those enacted by ODA. However, if they do, then that fair will be responsible for enforcing that rule.
Ringworm in Livestock Species
Ringworm is a fungal infection affecting the skin, hair, and nails and is also known as dermatophytosis. Ringworm affects many mammalian species including cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses, dogs, and cats. It is also zoonotic, meaning that humans can get infected from animals as well. It i
s highly infectious among animals and between animals and humans, so be sure to wear gloves and wash hands when handling an animal with a known or suspected ringworm infection.
There are many species of fungus that cause dermatophytosis. Most of these species of ringworm do NOT glow under Wood’s Lamp, so it is not an effective means of diagnosis. Fungal culture is the only test that can definitively diagnose dermatophytosis, but results can take as long as three weeks. However, ringworm has distinctive lesions that can indicate an infection to you and your veterinarian.
Ringworm lesions are typically individual, circular areas of hair loss that may have scaling, crusting, and/or oozing along with redness or inflammation. Lesions are commonly found on the face, neck, chest, and limbs. These lesions may only become evident after shearing, so it is important to disinfect clippers between animals or use an entirely different set after clipping an infected animal.
While ringworm typically self-resolves, there are treatments that can aid the process and reduce spread since resolution may take 4 to 12 weeks. Supportive treatment of ringworm typically consists of topical therapy and adjustments in husbandry, as overcrowding can perpetuate infection among individuals. Isolation of infected animals until resolution of lesions is ideal when possible. Please consult your veterinarian for use of topical therapies. Resolution is usually determined by new wool or hair growth in the lesion and supported by hair or wool around the edge of lesion not being easily removed when pulled.
As a reminder – animals that have active ringworm lesions should NOT be taken to the fair, especially given the zoonotic and contagious nature of the disease.
To see how ringworm lesions may progress overtime, please see the infographic provided below.
Diamond C Livestock: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=572655578410153&set=a.472144501794595
What’s next? Plan for 2025
The Division of Animal Health is making a concerted effort for the 2025 fair season to do as much outreach to the various interested parties and entities affected by these new rules as possible, to make sure the exhibition rules are visible to everyone. The following are meetings and outreach activities that are planned or have already been attended by ODA Animal Health staff (with more added as they arise).
- Annual Assuring Quality Care for Animals (AQCA) meeting to OSU Extension educators in November 2024
- Advisory Committee on Livestock Exhibitions Meeting in November 2024
- Fair veterinarian trainings both in the winter (December 2024) and in the spring (2025) preceding the exhibition season
- OFMA convention in January 2025
- OFMA District Meetings in the Spring 2025
- 4-H volunteer conference in March 2025
- Spring Dairy Expo in March 2025
- Outreach via ODA/USDA field staff during the 2025 fair season
If your 4-H club, Fair Board, or other entity would like ODA Animal Health staff to present at a meeting of yours, do not hesitate to reach out – animal@agri.ohio.gov.
Additional Questions?
If you are an educator, parent, exhibitor, or fair veterinarian and have additional questions, our Fairs/Exhibitions Administrative team is always available to answer questions. If you wish to speak to the team, please email animal@agri.ohio.gov.
- Dr. Dennis Summers – State Veterinarian
- Dr. Kristy Shaw – Assistant State Veterinarian
- Jacquie Keller-Potvin – Program Administrator
- Cindy Bodie – Program Administrator
Source: Fairs and Exhibitions FAQ and Hot Topics Edition – shared December 20, 2024