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2023
PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
ANIMAL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANIMAL
EXHIBITION, INCLUDING COMMERCIAL EXHIBITION
For specified events at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, including the Pennsylvania
Farm Show, the Pennsylvania All-American Dairy Show, the Pennsylvania State Junior Dairy
Show, the Keystone International Livestock Exposition, the Pennsylvania Fall Holstein Show
and the Pennsylvania State 4-H Horse Show, exhibitors will need to consult the 2023 show
managements’ additional requirements.
PLEASE NOTE There are rabies vaccination requirements for vaccine-eligible animals to be
exhibited at the farm show complex (“complex”). For all animal exhibition events held at the
Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex building: Animal species exhibited for which a rabies
vaccine is labeled for use in that species, shall be vaccinated prior to exhibition in the complex.
All age-eligible animals of those livestock species must be vaccinated according to label
directions within the 12 months preceding entry to the event at the complex. Market cattle and
market sheep that are consigned to slaughter immediately following an event held at the
complex are exempt from this requirement. Vaccine-eligible market class animals not
consigned to immediate slaughter following the event are expected to comply with the above
vaccination requirements. For example, feeder/prospect class animals would be required to be
vaccinated to be exhibited and return home.
All rabies-vaccinated animals exhibited at the complex must be accompanied by a rabies
vaccination certificate or the vaccination information must be included on the Certificate of
Veterinary Inspection. The vaccine product administered, serial number, date of vaccination,
and veterinarian who performed the vaccination should be correlated to the official ID of the
animal(s) or its written physical description and be listed with it on the CVI or rabies vaccination
certificate.
PLEASE NOTE: There are ID requirements specific to the Farm Show Complex: Cattle, swine,
market sheep (in addition to other ID) and market goats (in addition to other ID) must be
identified with a 15 digit 840 ISO-compliant RFID ear tag. The only exception to this will be for
cattle who were identified using a 900 series 15-digit ISO-compliant tag placed before January
1, 2015. No other exceptions will be granted. Please distinguish between 840 tags with RFID
capabilities versus 840 tags that do not have those capabilities prior to placing identification in
your animal.
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Section 3: Pennsylvania Cattle
Requirements:
1. Sexually intact cattle shall be identified by an official ear tag or other unique
identification device approved by PDA. Official identification includes:
 A USDA issued National Uniform Eartagging System (NUES) tag: or
 A 15 digit Animal Identification Number(AIN( ear tag Starting with “840” ; or
 Other identification approved by the PDA (brands and breed registrations with
tattoos are not acceptable).
 ID requirements specific to the Farm Show Complex: All cattle entering the
complex must be identified with a 15 digit 840 ISO-compliant RFID ear tag. The
only exception to this will be for cattle who were identified using a 900 series 15-
digit ISO-compliant tag placed before January 1, 2015. No other exceptions will
be granted. If you intend to exhibit at the complex, please distinguish between
840 tags with RFID capabilities versus 840 tags that do not have those
capabilities prior to placing identification in your animal.
2. See Rabies Requirements in the General section for animals exhibiting at the
Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex.
Recommendations:
1. Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) issued after May 1, 2023.
In addition to the identification for sexually intact cattle, all non-sexually intact cattle
including steers and spayed heifers should be identified with forms of ID consistent with
# 1 in requirements above.
2. All animals must be free of evidence of infectious and contagious diseases and a
statement of this should be written on the CVI.
3. A current rabies vaccination administered by a licensed veterinarian for animals 3
months of age and older (observe appropriate slaughter withdrawal time). Market cattle
consigned for immediate slaughter following exhibition can be exempt.
4. Rodeo: It is recommended that Pennsylvania-origin rodeo cattle of all ages be negative
on an official tuberculin test within 60 days prior to the start of the fair unless they are
members of and originate from an accredited tuberculosis-free herd. The cattle can be
accompanied by the negative test report or the tuberculosis test results can be recorded
by the veterinarian on a CVI.
1/10/23
Section 4: Out of State Cattle
Requirements:
1. A Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) issued within the 30 days prior to the date of
importation.
2. Vesicular Stomatitis (VS): This applies to cattle entering Pennsylvania from states that
experienced a Vesicular Stomatitis outbreak in the last 12 months. In these cases an
accredited veterinarian shall determine whether the animals are free from VS, and
animals shall be accompanied by a CVI with the following statement signed by the
accredited veterinarian: “All animals identified on this CVI have been examined and
found to be free from VS. During the past 90 days, these animals have neither been
exposed to VS nor were located within 10 miles of a site where VS has been
diagnosed.”
3. All animals must be free of evidence of infectious and contagious diseases and a
statement of this is required on the CVI.
4. Federal regulation (USDA) requires individual official animal identification for sexually
intact cattle in interstate movement. Official ID will have a US shield and includes:
 A USDA-issued National Uniform Eartagging System (NUES) tag; or
 A 15-digit Animal Identification Number (AIN) ear tag starting with “840”; or
 Other official identification approved by USDA. (brands and breed registrations
with tattoos are not acceptable).
 ID requirements specific to the Farm Show Complex: All cattle entering the
complex must be identified with a 15 digit 840 ISO-compliant RFID ear tag. The
only exception to this will be for cattle who were identified using a 900 series 15-
digit ISO-compliant tag placed before January 1, 2015. No other exceptions will
be granted. Please distinguish between 840 tags with RFID capabilities versus
840 tags that do not have those capabilities prior to placing identification in your
animal.
5. Tuberculosis testing requirements:
 No test is required for animals originating from states or zones designated as
accredited free by the USDA.
 All animals originating from states or zones designated modified accredited
advanced by the USDA must be test negative within the 60 days prior to the date
of importation. The negative test results and dates of tests must be included on
the CVI or the animal must be accompanied by a negative test report (a copy of
the original report is acceptable).
 All animals originating from states or zones designated modified accredited by
the USDA must originate from herds in which all animals 12 months of age and
older are test negative within the 12 months prior to the date of importation and
the individual animals (all ages) to be imported are also test negative within the
60 days prior to the date of importation and at least 60 days after the negative
whole herd test was completed. The negative test results and date of test must
be included on the CVI or the animal must be accompanied by a negative test
report (a copy of the original test report is acceptable).
1/10/23
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