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Some Missouri fairs call off spring weigh-ins
Some of the largest county fairs in Missouri have called off hog weigh-ins for 4-H and FFA pig projects in April, trying to prevent the spread of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv).
Marcia Shannon, University of Missouri professor of animal sciences, has been in contact with the state veterinarian, 4-H specialists, fair board members and ag teachers who’ve concluded that waiving spring weigh-ins for youth is a good idea but shouldn’t be a mandate, “We thought it was a good time to educate them really well on biosecurity but at the same time leave it up to the fairs and the fair boards and for them to make the decision if they still want to have spring weigh-ins.”
Suspending the weigh-ins, she says, will reduce foot traffic between farms, which could spread the virus. “And, also,” she tells Brownfield Ag News, “It doesn’t matter if you have two sows or 22,000 sows,you’re still susceptible to getting this virus.”
Lincoln, Montgomery and Pike County fairs are among those that have called off weigh-ins.
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