Swine Exhibitors Information
2024
NEW for 2024 Fair: New Market Breed Classes: Chester, Landrace, Spot, Hereford and Poland
Swine flu clinic at the Fairgrounds Swine Barn on July 13th, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Enter Gate 1. IF you are not coming to that, you must call Michigan Vet Services at 616-355-7447 to get the vaccine and have your vet administer it. This is mandatory unless you have an approved producer’s signature with the exempt form. Without the vaccine, you will not be able to bring your hog to the fair. Rule I in the Exhibitor Handbook. All forms will be due in the office by Monday, July 15th. (including the exempt forms)
All market swine will be required to have official animal ID. Official animal ID requirements can be met by purchasing a pig with official ID from a breeder or by purchasing an 840 tag. 840 tags can be sourced from different suppliers; however, you will need a PREMISE ID number to order 840 tags. When purchasing official animal ID, you must have the premises identification number (PIN) where the animals are housed. To register your premises (farm or home address of where the pigs are housed) or to request your existing PIN, you can call MDARD at 888-565-8626. MDARD does not directly supply identification tags. The fair office DOES NOT have tags.
Market classes: Limit to ONE hog per exhibitor. Exhibitors chosen for the carcass class may register the carcass and 1 live animal.
Showmanship and Market will both be judged on Thursday of fair! Showmanship first, followed by Market, Breeds first.
See page 14 of Exhibior Handbook for link for body scoring guidelines.
Don’t forget that those families with multiple siblings who may use that one back-up pig make sure that you put the back-up tag number on all sibling’s forms. If using on line entry, state in the comment section of swine market that this is a family back up hog. What to do with those back-up hogs and get them processed at the same time? Those 10 + of age can enter the carcass class and learn about the meat we produce and eat.
840 Tags must be in hogs ear by July 13th including back up tags. Spot checks be done after July 13th.
Self waterers are encouraged for hogs during fairweek. They are to be no larger than 10″ in diameter and must be constructed of metal, PVC, or heavy plastic.
For fair week, hogs are to be clipped no shorter than ½”. Hogs clipped too short may be declared unusable by the processor. Non-oil based commercial shines may be used (Examples: Sudden Impact, Revive, Sullivan Supply and Weaver products). Strictly enforced, or exhibitor will be disqualified.
Entry Day: Sunday – 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, Health check starts at 6:00 am to Noon.
Health Check: Hogs must enter Gate 3 (Shawnee Rd.) and go straight to the weigh in area unless you have more than one specie. Exhibitors with more than one specie must remain at Gate 3 and proceed through the vet check. At weigh in you must provide the following:
Tagged hog, Vet Slip, yellow copy of the entry sheet, and must have their hog pen checked and yellow sheet initialed by a swine barn representative before going to entry office. When all that is done, then go to entry office before 2:00 pm.
Fair Week: Exhibitors are expected to clean their pens daily in the am before fair opens. All exhibitors are expected to feed and water daily.
Please keep aisles clean and free of sawdust. Exhibitors failing to do this will fall under the 3 strike rule. (See fairbook page 16)
Premium checks may be picked up Saturday of fair from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Entry Office or Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. You can also have them cashed at either of those times.