Health Regulations

Livestock Health Requirements

  1. All animals entering the grounds, including those showing in petting zoos, children’s barnyard animals, Old McDonald Farms, etc. must meet the requirements of their species.
  2. Arkansas livestock (except for Arkansas sheep, goats, horses, steers, and rabbits) must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection issued within 90 days prior to exhibition.

Arkansas Cattle

  1. Brucellosis; Johnson County Fair will follow state guidelines. Brucellosis vaccination is recommended but not required to show at the Johnson County Fair.

Arkansas Swine

  1. Animals 6 months old or older to be tested negative for Brucellosis within 90 days of exhibition.
  2. Animals to be tested negative for Pseudorabies regardless of age within 90 days of the exhibition on a test approved by the state veterinarian.
  3. Free of other contagious, infectious, and communicable diseases (erysipelas, atrophic rhinitis, etc.); otherwise, they will not be allowed to show and will be released from the fairgrounds.
  4. All hogs should have an official federally recognized USDA 840 ID tag in one ear.

 Arkansas Sheep

  1. All sheep must be tagged with Scrapie Identification Tag upon arrival on the fairgrounds.
  2. Sheep will be inspected on grounds. No sheep showing symptoms of foot-rot, wool fungus, sore mouth, sheep pox or scrapie will be allowed to be penned or shown.

 Arkansas Goats

  1. All registered goats entering fairgrounds must be accompanied by a registration certificate (in exhibitor’s name) with matching permanent tattoo.
  2. All unregistered goats must be tagged with Scrapie Identification Tag upon arrival on the fairgrounds.
  3. Goats will be examined on the grounds. No goat showing evidence of abscesses and certainly draining abscesses, scrapie or hoof rot will be allowed to be penned or shown.

Arkansas Rabbits

  1. Rabbits will be inspected on grounds. No rabbits showing symptoms of disease will be allowed to show.

Arkansas Horses

  1. Negative EIA test required within the past twelve (12) months for all animals over six (6) months of age. Nursing foals under six (6) months of age are exempt from testing if accompanied by negative tested dams. Photocopies of the test papers will not be accepted; carbon copies are acceptable.

Arkansas Poultry

  1. All in-state poultry, which includes domesticated game birds, quail, pheasants, peafowl, guineas, and turkeys, present at exhibition in Arkansas shall have originated from U. S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean or equivalent flocks or have had a negative pullorum-typhoid test within ninety (90) days of the movement to the exhibition (pullorum-typhoid testing on fairgrounds during the fair is prohibited.) This information will be documented on a NPIP Form VS 9-3, 90-Day Certificate, NPIP Flock Certification Form or similar certificate that will accompany the poultry during exhibition.
  2. All non-certified birds must be banded (leg or wing band), with a sealed band. Wraparound plastic bands are not acceptable. In-state waterfowl are exempt from pullorum-typhoid requirements.
  3. Any poultry showing evidence of infectious or contagious disease or insect infestation will not be permitted to exhibit and will have to leave the grounds.