Tim Ryan, tryan@shawanoleader.com
Leader Photo by Tim Ryan 4-H Livestock Committee Chairman Dan Zernicke addresses a crowd at the Shawano County Courthouse on Tuesday on new rules for swine exhibitors at this year’s county fair.
Any swine unloaded at the Shawano County Fair this year will be headed to the slaughterhouse when it’s over.
Concerns about spreading a deadly swine disease that has killed as many as 4 million pigs in 23 states since it showed up in the U.S. last April has led officials to ban any return trips back to the farm for the animals.
The state veterinarian with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection last week also banned pre-fair weigh-ins for swine, as well as for sheep due to concerns of cross-contamination. There will also be no breeding swine or feeder pig show at this year’s fair.
Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) doesn’t affect humans and isn’t transmitted by meat, but the disease can easily spread to other swine through contact with infected manure.
The virus causes diarrhea, vomiting and severe dehydration in hogs. Wisconsin has seen six cases of the virus so far.
The Shawano County 4-H Livestock Key Committee outlined the new rules Tuesday for a standing room only crowd of more than 100 people at a livestock informational meeting at the county courthouse.
“This is nothing to mess around with, and it’s not our decision,” committee Chairman Dan Zernicke said. “It’s the state vet that is making these decisions. We’re trying to make it so that we can still have a pig show.”
Zernicke said there are counties in the state seriously considering doing away with swine shows this year.
“We don’t want to go down that road,” he said.
However, 4-H officials stressed the directive from the state vet could change if the situation becomes more severe, including the possibility that all swine shows could be cancelled.
“What we’re telling you tonight is subject to change any time, because the state vet might make a decision like that,” said Joe Stellato, 4-H agent with the Shawano County University of Wisconsin-Extension office. “There’s nothing we can do about it.”
In another major change from previous years, exhibitors will be responsible for ear tagging and photo ID of their sheep and pigs, something committee members assisted with previously.
“We can no longer do that,” Zernicke said, citing concerns that contaminated manure could be tracked from one farm to another.
“This is going to be your responsibility now, and it’s going to be huge,” he said.
Stellato said contamination in Iowa — where more than 1,200 cases of PEDv have been confirmed — was widespread, and found in many more places than just farms.
“They found this virus in convenience stores, coffee shops, anyplace farmers went,” he said. “That’s how easy it spreads.”