Working with Small Ruminant Shows and Sales

Abstract

Veterinarians can be a valuable resource to youth and livestock producers in presenting healthy, attractive sheep and goats for public display or sale by working with fairs and sales to exclude sheep and goats with contagious diseases and zoonoses, unsightly conditions, and animals otherwise unsuitable for public display. Complete and accurate certificates of veterinary inspection and compliant scrapie identification, consistent pre-show or sale health examinations, and review and assessment of rules and policies to best serve the owners, management, and public are key ways veterinarians can contribute to shows and sales. Exhibition sheep and goats must always be considered food-producing animals rather than companion animals when making medical decisions regarding drug use and medical outcomes. Working directly with youth and the organizing committees to assure safe housing and rules which inform exhibitors and provide a framework for fair and equitable rules of enforcement are key to assuring the satisfaction of livestock exhibitors, show or sale management, and the consumer public.