The annual tagging day for Farm Show market lambs, market goats, and market hogs will take place on Saturday, September 27, at the Bedford Fairgrounds from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. The tagging location will be between the 4-H Center and the dairy barn. Please enter the gate by the 4-H Center, turn to the right, and stop between the dairy barn and the 4-H Center.
There will be no paper forms. Melanie will record your animal’s tag number while a volunteer places the tag in your animal’s ear. If your animal already has an RFID tag, we will use that tag number for the Farm Show records. Melanie will submit these tag numbers to the Farm Show office, but you must also enter your animals online. You will receive a paper on tagging day with additional instructions for how to enter online.
Farm Show also requires hair follicle samples for DNA testing. You will be given a hair follicle sample envelope on tagging day. You may pull those samples that day if you wish. Your animal must be clean when pulling hair follicle samples to avoid contamination! Melanie will deliver the samples to the Farm Show office in early October.
New this year, each species will have a Pennsylvania Bred Class. In an effort to know where your animal is coming from and promote Pennsylvania-bred animals, the Farm Show will present awards to the top two animals bred in Pennsylvania. The judge will select a Grand and Reserve during the Grand Drive. To participate in this class: Make sure your animal has an 840 RFID tag or a Scrapie tag from the original Pennsylvania breeder. The 840 RFID tag must be registered with your 4-H Educator or FFA advisor and the official Farm Show online Farm Show entry system. For sheep and goats, the Scrapie tag must accompany the 840 RFID tag in the entry. Make sure to add this class when you enter. Farm Show personnel will verify that you purchased the animal from a Pennsylvania breeder.
Also new this year will be an appeals process, a barn watch and barn closure process, and a sheep/goat fitting stand fee of $20. The fee purchases a sticker that you must visibly display on the stand during the Farm Show. Please be sure to read and review the PA Farm Show Junior Market Animals rules and regulations found at https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/farmshow/documents/pafarmshow/exhibit/rules-regulations/documents/department%206%20-%20junior%20market%20animals.pdf for further information.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with Melanie at the Penn State Extension office at 814-623-4800 or meh7@psu.edu.