Livestock Health Regulations
Health Requirements For Exhibition of Arkansas Livestock
1. All animals entering the grounds, including those showing in pet zoos, children's barnyard animals, Old McDonald Farms, etc. must meet the requirements of their particular species.
2. Arkansas livestock (except for Arkansas sheep, goats, horses, steers and rabbits) must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection issued within ninety (90) days prior to exhibition, showing the following:
ARKANSAS CATTLE
1. If Arkansas is a Class Free State, Arkansas cattle are exempt from brucellosis testing. If Arkansas is not a Class Free State then the following testing requirements must be met:
Negative brucellosis test within ninety (90) days prior to exhibition, for females and bulls eighteen (18) months of age and over. All heifers that have calved or are bred must be tested. Animals originating from a Certified Brucellosis Free Herd are exempt if the Certified Free Herd number is shown on certificate.
2. All heifers that are four to twelve (4-12) months of age shall be vaccinated before entering show.
3. Heifers that were born on or after January 1, 1985, that are over twelve (12) months of age and are not official calfhood vaccinates will not be allowed to show (unless they are from a Brucellosis Certified Free Herd.)
ARKANSAS SWINE
1. As of July 1, 2001, all swine must have an official premise identification.
2. Animals six (6) months old or older to be tested negative for brucellosis within ninety (90) days of exhibition or originate directly out of a Validated Herd, with Validation number and date of last herd test shown on certificate (barrows exempt from brucellosis testing, but must be pseudorabies tested.)
3. Animals to be tested negative for pseudorabies regardless of age within ninety (90) days of the exhibition on a test approved by the state veterinarian or originate directly out of a Qualified Pseudorabies Free Herd, with Qualified Herd number and date of last test shown on certificate.
4. Free of other contagious, infectious, and communicable diseases (erysipelas, atrophic rhinitis, etc.); otherwise they will not be allowed to show and will be released from fairgrounds.
ARKANSAS SHEEP AND GOATS
Exhibition officials must maintain records of all sheep and goats that are exhibited for a period of five years, to include:
a) Identification Number
b) Flock status as defined by the Voluntary Flock Certification Program
c) The name, complete address and phone number of the owner.
Fair personnel, veterinarians, or state-federal personnel may examine sheep on grounds. Any sheep showing clinical symptoms of Scrapie shall be immediately quarantined in isolation and required to undergo any approved diagnostic tests and shall be consigned to slaughter or destruction with submission of tissues to an approved diagnostic laboratory at the exhibitor’s expense.
Commingling (as defined by the Arkansas Scrapie Regulation) of sheep or goats of different flock status as defined by the Voluntary Flock Certification Program (VFCP) is prohibited and must be reported to the VFCP state official and State Veterinarian.
No sheep or goats showing symptoms of disease, particularly foot rot, sore mouth, sheep pox, evidence of fungal infection, evidence of abscesses or with draining abscesses will be allowed to show and may be released by fair officials, veterinarians, or state-federal personnel.
ARKANSAS RABBITS
Rabbits will be inspected on grounds. No rabbits showing symptoms of disease will be allowed to show.
ARKANSAS HORSES
Negative EIA test required within the past twelve (12) months for all animals over six (6) months of age. Nursing foals under six (6) months of age are exempt from testing if accompanied by negative tested dams Photocopies of the test papers will not be accepted; carbon copies are acceptable.
ARKANSAS CERVIDS
1. Certificate of veterinary inspection.
2. Negative cervical tuberculosis test within ninety (90) days.
3. Negative brucellosis test within ninety (90) days;
4. Or originate from a Certified Brucellosis-Free and Accredited Tuberculosis Free Cervid Herd;
5. Or originate from a Brucellosis-Monitored and a Qualified Tuberculosis Cervid Herd within ninety (90) days of exhibition.
ARKANSAS CAMELIDS
1. Individually identified, and certificate of veterinary inspection within ninety (90) days of exhibition.
2. Registration papers when accompanied by registry photographs of the animal are acceptable identification.
ARKANSAS RATITES
1. Certificate of veterinary inspection.
2. Negative avian influenza test within ninety (90) days.
3. Permanent identification.
ARKANSAS POULTRY
An official representing the exhibition shall notify the state veterinarian no later than thirty (30) days prior to the exhibition, giving names, place, inclusive dates, and time of the event.
The requirements are as follows:
1. All in-state poultry, which includes domesticated game birds, quail, pheasants, peafowl, guineas, and turkeys, present at exhibition in Arkansas shall have originated from U. S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean or equivalent flocks or have had a negative pullorum-typhoid test within ninety (90) days of the movement to the exhibition (pullorum-typhoid testing on fairgrounds during the fair is prohibited.) This information will be documented on a NPIP Form VS 9-3, 90-Day Certificate, NPIP Flock Certification Form or similar certificate that will accompany the poultry during exhibition.
2. All non-certified birds must be banded (leg or wing band), with a sealed band. Wrap-around plastic bands are not acceptable. In-state waterfowl are exempt from pullorum-typhoid requirements.
3. Any poultry showing evidence of infectious or contagious disease or insect infestation will not be permitted to exhibit.
4. Record Keeping -
The sponsor of the exhibition shall compile a list of all poultry present at exhibition. This list shall contain the name and address of each owner, the number, the species, breed, variety, type, sex, and pullorum-typhoid status of all poultry present. A copy of this shall be retained by the sponsor of the exhibition for at least twelve (12) months.
OTHER IN-STATE TAME OR EXOTIC ANIMALS
Please call State Veterinarian's office for information and permit.
