Swine Exhibitors

Registration Deadline is June 1st!

Pre-Fair Set Up is Thursday, July 31st at 6:30 p.m.

NEW for 2025 Fair:

• Exhibitors ages 9-20 are able to enter TWO market hogs and a carcass hog if desired (3 total). Exhibitors are responsible for destination and transport of second hog.
• Exhibitors ages 6 – 8 are able to enter ONE market hog and a carcass hog if desired (2 total).
• ALL swine exhibitors are responsible for supplying their own sawdust bedding.

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 supply tags.

840 Tags must be in hogs ear by July 12th including back up tags. Spot checks may be done after July 12th.

Swine flu clinic at the Fairgrounds on July 12th, 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 K in the Exhibitor Handbook. All forms will be due in the office by Monday, July 14th. (including the exempt forms)

See page 15 of Exhibitor Handbook for link for body scoring guidelines.

Families with multiple siblings who may use that one back-up pig, make sure to put the back-up tag number on all sibling’s forms. If using online entry, state in the comment section of swine market that this is a family back up hog.

Entry Day: Health Check/Weigh-in is 6:00 a.m. – Noon on Sunday, August 10. If swine is the only animal you have on your trailer, you may proceed from Gate 3 (Shawnee Rd.) to the swine barn for Health Check. If you have others you must go through Health check at Gate 3.

After your swine project is checked in and settled at the barn, you must proceed to the entry office before 2:00 p.m. to complete your registration papers.

Fair Week: Exhibitors are expected to clean their pens daily, in the morning, before fair opens. All exhibitors are expected to feed and water daily. Exhibitors failing to do this will fall under the 3 strike rule. (See pages 13-14 of exhibitor handbook.)

Self-waterers are encouraged for hogs during fair week. They are to be no larger than 10″ in diameter and must be constructed of metal, PVC, or heavy plastic.

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.

Please keep aisles clean and free of sawdust.

Second destination hogs will load out on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., you may start lining up at 6 a.m. After loading your animal, exhibitors are expected to help clean out the barn!

Premium checks (not auction checks) may be picked up at the Entry Office on Saturday of fair from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and also, on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. They can be cashed either of those days!