By Michaela Simcoe,
University of Minnesota Extension
At the Fair
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Check out the livestock housing area. The barn should
be clean and properly ventilated with adequate space between animals. Nose-nose
contact is the quickest way to spread disease, so preventing contact between
livestock from different farms is very important.
❏
Provide animals with ample feed and water. The stress
of new surroundings combined with excess heat and inadequate nutrition greatly
increases the likelihood of them getting sick.
❏
Avoid sharing equipment such as pitchforks, shovels and
buckets with exhibitors from other farms.
❏
Wash your hands and boots off frequently to avoid
carrying bacteria throughout the barns.
❏
If you are letting fairgoer pet your animal, make sure
they wash their hands before and after to minimize the chance of disease
spread. This a great time to inform fairgoers about the importance of
practicing strict biosecurity.
After the Fair
❏
Isolate fair animals from the rest of the herd for at
least two weeks to prevent them from spreading any disease they picked up at
the fair.
❏
Watch livestock for signs of weakness or sickness and
contact a veterinarian if symptoms develop.
❏
Rinse and disinfect all equipment that entered the
fairgrounds thoroughly, including buckets, feeders and shovels.
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