State Fair Livestock Exhibition

The State Fair is approaching quickly. Livestock exhibitors should be aware of health and identification requirements. Now is a good time to make sure animals are eligible for exhibition. Please review the following:

State Fair Memo
Once again, the State Veterinarian’s office will be providing livestock inspection services at the North Dakota State Fair. All animals must be inspected prior to unloading; please see enclosed memo regarding inspection times. In an effort to minimize the number of animals which are asked to leave the fair, the following information is being distributed. Please share with individuals in your area that may be planning to exhibit livestock at the State Fair.

• Animals affected by skin disorders prior to the fair should seek veterinary care ASAP to ensure the best prognosis for attendance
• Warts should be addressed prior to coming to the fair. Animals with warts will be not be allowed. Warts will NOT be allowed to be removed on the fairgrounds.

The State Fair is a livestock exhibition which showcases superior animals. Animals which are not in ideal condition do not represent agriculture at its finest and diminish the public’s perception of agriculture. Additionally, it is important to protect all livestock in attendance by minimizing the risk of exposure to contagious disease. As such, animals that appear to be affected by a contagious disease or that are exhibiting any condition affecting their health or comfort, in the professional opinion of the inspecting veterinarian, will not be permitted on the fairgrounds. Decisions by the inspecting veterinarian on-site are final.

• Any animal with evidence of contagious, infectious disease will be dismissed from the fairgrounds immediately. This includes animals showing signs of localized disorders such as club lamb fungus, ringworm, or other dermatophytosis (infectious skin condition), and warts, as well as systemic diseases of the respiratory or gastrointestinal system, such as pneumonia or diarrhea.
• Any animal with an obvious physical defect or deformity, including, but not limited to prolapses, open sores, eye lesions, lameness or other physical injury, shall be removed from the fairgrounds immediately.

Depending on the condition, exhibitors may be given the opportunity to seek a veterinarian off the fairgrounds for treatment. If properly treated, the livestock may be approved for fair entry if the state veterinary staff sees the treatment as satisfactory and is given a written receipt from the offsite veterinarian. The written receipt must include the veterinarian’s name, contact information, treatment plan, and signature.

Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVIs) must be presented for out of state animals; CVIs are not required for any North Dakota-origin animals. Additionally, all cattle and swine for exhibition which travel across state lines must be officially identified, including steers and barrows.

Livestock exhibitors at the state fair should present copies of all veterinary prescriptions for medications that have been given to market animals to the species superintendent, and any livestock medications brought to the fair must bear a prescription label.

All sheep and goats, other than wethers <18 months of age, must be identified with a scrapie tag or breed registration tattoo accompanied by registration papers in the current owner’s name. If not properly identified, they will not be allowed to unload at the fair. Please check to ensure that registration tattoos are clearly legible. If the tattoos are not able to be read by the inspecting veterinarian, they will have to be tagged or re-tattoed prior to unloading.

Poultry will be exhibited at the State Fair in 2026 unless a case of avian influenza is identified in Ward County in privately owned birds within 30 days prior to the fair.

ATTENTION DAIRY EXHIBITORS:
Lactating dairy cattle must have tested negative for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza within 10 days prior to arriving at the fair. Exhibitors must have a copy of the negative test results with them at check-in. Test results must list the official ID of the animal being exhibited.

In 2025, the State Fair implemented an identification requirement for all cattle, sheep, swine, and goats. This requirement continues this year. Inspection staff will be recording ID when possible, but ID that cannot be read without restraint will be referred to superintendents and 4H and FFA personnel.

Much of this information also appears in the State Fair catalog, but hopefully distributing it through multiple channels will allow more exhibitors to be made aware of it and prevent disappointment and inconvenience, should their animal be affected by one of the conditions above. Thank you for your assistance in getting the word out!

Veterinarians from the Animal Health Division will be available for inspections beginning at 3 pm on July 16, 2026. All cattle, sheep, swine, and goats must be inspected prior to unloading. Rabbits, poultry, and horses may be penned upon arrival. They will be viewed while penned and a more detailed inspection will be performed if deemed necessary. There will be at least one veterinarian available on the grounds during the hours below. Please note the shortened inspection hours this year. If exhibitors are planning to arrive outside the listed hours, it is their responsibility to reach out in advance to ensure that someone will be available when they arrive. Contact numbers for each date are below. Animals may NOT be unloaded directly into tie-outs before being inspected. Also, please note that animals with warts or other conditions will be removed from the grounds.

From noon on Wednesday, July 22nd through Saturday, July 25, Nathan Boehm, Livestock Field Investigator (701-220-9352), will be on site to assist the Species Superintendents and the Fair Veterinarian with any animal health issues.