New in 2018, the official ID will be EID tags for all market swine for County Fair, State Fair & Ak-Sar-Ben. Ear notches may be recorded as an additional form of ID but will not serve as the official form of identification. Based on decisions made at the Fall Livestock Advisory Meetings, all swine exhibitors will need to bring their swine to the tagging day Thursday, May 31 2018, 4-7 p.m. at the fairgrounds in Crete for staff to verify tagging. Families will tag their own swine to avoid disease with staff verifying. If you cannot attend, you will need to set up a time with Eric or Randy to bring your pigs to the Extension Office to verify tagging by June 8th. All tagging must be witnessed by Extension staff. Lottery Pigs will NOT need to come to the tagging day.

Market swine to be exhibited at State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben need to be nominated with a DNA sample and EID tag (4-H and FFA use the same EID tag). DNA samples will be taken this day or you may pull your own sample. The DNA is $6.00 per animal. EID tags will cost $2. If completing your own DNA envelopes, these MUST be at the Extension Office no later than JUNE 15th with online nomination complete by midnight, June 15th using www.showstockmgr.com. Late DNA samples will not be accepted and are not eligible for State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben competition.