The Shawano County 4-H Livestock Key Committee will announce changes to the Shawano County Fair exhibitor process Tuesday due to statewide concern about a deadly swine disease.
Wisconsin’s state veterinarian this week banned spring weigh-ins for pigs competing at fairs and recommended that any pigs shown be sent immediately to slaughter to prevent the spread of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, which has killed as many as 4 million pigs in 23 states since it showed up in the United States last April, according to The Associated Press.
The local committee will have a plan in place before the first livestock informational meeting, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Shawano County Courthouse, 311 N. Main St. All potential swine exhibitors are strongly encouraged to attend the meeting to learn how these changes will affect their 4-H/FFA projects this year. All members who attend the informational meeting will be given one livestock credit.
Wisconsin has seen six cases thus far of the disease that causes diarrhea, vomiting and severe dehydration in swine.
State veterinarian Paul McGraw acted after the number of confirmed cases increased again last week. Fairs have until April or May to see if the virus keeps spreading and then make a decision on how to handle pigs.
McGraw has said the state could step in with fairs that don’t send pigs to slaughter this year, possibly quarantining animals and selling them for slaughter if the virus is found.