ANIMAL HEALTH REGULATIONS

Governing Admission of Livestock to Local Fairs in Virginia

     These are general guidelines to follow for local fairs; however, any fair may establish requirements which are more restrictive. The Virginia State Fair may have other requirements. Each Superintendent shall be responsible for checking the health status of each animal entered in that division.

     General Statement: A copy of the health papers must accompany the livestock which are exhibited at fairs. Representatives of the State's Veterinarian's office may request to see the health papers. All out of state animals must meet Virginia's entry requirements.

BEEF & DAIRY

     All cattle shall be accompanied by a health certificate issued by an accredited veterinarian within 30 days of the Fair stating that the cattle are free from contagious and infectious diseases.
     All cattle should be individually identified and listed on the health certificate.
     Respiratory Disease and Recommended Vaccinations: It is recommended that all cattle shall be vaccinated in the current show year against the respiratory complex (shipping fever), including infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), not less than 15 days prior to the show. Type of vaccine and date of administration should be noted on the health certificate.

Cattle Originating from Out of State:

1. Tuberculosis test requirement
   a. Originate from a free area, or
   b. Originate from an accredited free herd, or
   c. Individuals tested negative within 60 days of the show.
2. Brucellosis test requirement
   a. Dairy or Beef breeding cattle which originate directly from officially classified states my enter Virginia provided they are accompanied by an official health certificate and also meet the following requirements:
   i. Class Free States
   1. No test required
   2. No permit required
   ii. Class A States
   1. Originate from a Certified Free herd-no test
   2. All others require an individual negative test within 30 days
   3. No permit required
   Test eligible animals are nonvaccinated females 8 months of age and older; vaccinates 20 months and older for dairy breeds; and 24 months and older for beef breeds.
3. Steers must comply with all the health rules except brucellosis.

**********Animals Originating in Virginia**********

CATTLE

     All cattle which originate from Virginia shall be accompanied by a health certificate, issued within the past 30 days and signed by an accredited veterinarian who states that the animals are free of infectious and contagious diseases.

LLAMAS AND ALPACAS

     All llamas and alpacas must be accompanied by a health certificate issued within the past 30 days and signed by an accredited veterinarian who states that the animals are free of infectious and contagious diseases.

SHEEP

     All sheep must be accompanied by a health certificate, issued within the past 30 days and signed by an accredited veterinarian who states that the animals are free of infectious and contagious diseases. Any animal exhibiting club lamb fungus, lesions of sore mouths or foot rot must be removed from the exhibition area. Virginia breeders with Virginia health certified flock status need only present their certificate of flock certification.
     To be in compliance with the recommendations of the state veterinarian, all breeding sheep and market lambs must be identified with an official scrapie tag in their ear upon arrival at the fairgrounds. The official paper work must also accompany the sheep. Ear tags will be available at the official 4-H and FFA lamb weigh-in for those members who did not receive the proper scrapie identification tag of their market lambs at the time they purchased them. Any sheep not having the tag will be dismissed from the fairgrounds and sent home.

GOATS

     All goats must be accompanied by a health certificate, issued within the past 30 days and signed by an accredited veterinarian who individually lists each animal and certifies that the animals are free of infectious and contagious diseases. In addition the test dates and negative test results of the following tests shall be indicated:

1. Tuberculosis:
   a. Originate from a herd tested negative within 12 months, or
   b. Each individual goat shall be tested negative within 60 days.
2. Brucellosis
   a. Originate from a herd tested negative within 12 months, or
   b. Each individual goat shall be tested negative within 60 days.
3. Caseous Lymphadenitis:
   a. Goats must be free of clinical symptoms of caseous lymphadenitis. Animals showing clinical symptoms of this disease will be removed from the exhibition grounds. "Clinical symptoms" is used to define abscesses of the lymph nodes, whether draining or not.

SWINE

1. Breeding Swine and Feeder Swine:
        All breeding and feeder swine must be accompanied by a health certificate, issued within the past 30 days and signed by an accredited veterinarian who certifies that the animals are free of infectious and contagious diseases. Since Virginia is Pseudorabis Free, swine originating in Virginia are free to move intrastate without further testing.
2. Market Swine:
        All market hogs should be inspected by a representative of the State Veterinarian's office or by a swine superintended at the time of unloading. No health certificate will be required. If they enter without a health certificate, they must be sold for slaughter only and cannot return to a farm.

HORSES

1. No horse is permitted on the grounds unless it is accompanied by a negative Coggins test conducted within 12 months of the date of exhibition.
2. Horses coming from out-of-state must be accompanied by a health certificate signed within 30 days by an accredited veterinarian, in addition to the above.

POULTRY

     All poultry entered for exhibition shall appear healthy, and shall be external parasite free. Any bird which does not meet these standards shall be immediately removed from the exhibit. All poultry shown in public exhibition in the Commonwealth of Virginia shall originate from the U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean or equivalent flocks of have had a negative pullorum-typhoid test within 90 days of the movement to the public exhibition. It is also recommended that all birds of a flock of origin for exhibition purposes shall have been vaccinated for Infectious Laryngotracheitis tissue culture origin vaccine at least 30 days prior to entering exhibition.