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Home > Youth Exhibitors > Education Requirements & Opportunities - Animals & Shooting Sports > Livestock Departments > Swine Department

Swine Department



All youth planning to show Sheep at the Dane County Fair must meet these species specific educational requirements:

  • Attend at least one approved education event (listed below)
  • Education Requirement Card – Complete this card after attending a species-specific education meeting/event to confirm attendance. You should upload the completed card by June 15.
    • To upload the education card, please save the document as a JPG, TIFF, or PDF. Youth can take a picture of the education card to upload.
  • Complete Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) certificate between 9/1/2023-6/15/2024
  • Complete all training, and submit education card and YQCA certificate by June 15 via the ONLINE PORTAL - Opens in April. Failure to submit this card by June 15 at 11:59pm will make you ineligible to show your animal at the Dane County Fair.
  • If showing in more than one species, youth must complete and submit the requirements for each species separately.


2024 Approved Education Offerings
  • 8/14/2023Swine Reproductive Workshop – 2:00pm-5:00pm at Kelly and Molly Arand’s – Rake Genetics, 6840 Schumacher Rd. Waunakee, WI 53597. For questions or to register for this event, please email Jeff Morris at jeff.morris@wisc.edu or call/ text 608-346-9561.
  • 1/23/24 – "Large Animal Fair Education" presented by Waunakee Veterinary Services at Ashton Go-Getters Club Meeting - OPEN TO ALL - 6:00-7:00pm at St Peters School in the lunchroom/basement (7121 County Rd K, Middleton). No RSVP needed. Attendance will be taken. Make sure to bring a copy of the Education Card with you to have the presenter sign on-site.
  • 2/10/24 – "Youth Show Pig Symposium" presented by Wisconsin Pork Association & UW - Extension - 10:00am-3:00pm at Chula Vista Resort (Wisconsin Dells). Registration required ($5 online and $10 at the door). Topics include: show day hydration, trailer maintenance, animal traceability, vaccinations/antibiotics, biosecurity, transportation emergency preparedness, and 2024 show season updates. Make sure to bring a copy of the Education Card with you to have the presenter sign on-site.
  • 3/16/24WSPA Educational Panel - 1:30pm at Jefferson County Fairgrounds. The Wisconsin Show Pig Association will be hosting an Educational Panel on showmanship, daily care, feeding tips, and judging. Questions - contact WSPA at wisconsinshowpigassociation@gmail.com.
  • 3/17/244-H Swine Project For Beginners – 1:30pm at Dane County 4-H Office (5201 Fen Oak Dr., Madison). This educational event will help youth new to the swine project gain a better understanding of the project area and the resources available. This meeting is best for members in their 1-2 years in the project area. Reach out to Dick Straub with any questions – Richard.straub@wisc.edu. Make sure to bring a copy of the Education Card with you to have the presenter sign on-site.
  • 5/18/24Swine Reproduction Clinic – 11:00am at Outhouse Farm (5132 County Hwy A, Oregon, WI 53575). Learn about the ins and outs of reproduction in swine. Hands on with male and female reproduction systems; details on breeding and gestation. Reach out to Blayne Outhouse with any questions – farmerblayne@gmail.com or 608-669-0105. Make sure to bring a copy of the Education Card with you to have the presenter sign on-site.

Past Offerings
  • 3/25/234-H Livestock Quizbowl and Skillathon
  • 4/2/2023 UW Vet Medicine - Veterinarian Event – 1:00pm, UW Vet Medicine Bldg
  • 4/3/2023 Reproductive Technologies in Agriculture Zoom – 7:00pm, Recording Available
  • 4/8/2023Show Pig Clinic – 9:00am-Noon, offered by UW Extension Green County - This event will be a great opportunity to learn about pig nutrition, at-home care, and showmanship tips from experienced pig experts. Whether you are new to showing pigs or have years of experience, this clinic is sure to offer valuable insights and information to help you succeed in the ring. Best of all, attendance is completely free and lunch will be provided at no cost to all participants.
  • 4/19/2023 Livestock Project - Animal Nutrition (Grades 3-13) at 6:00pm at Middleton Farmer’s Cooperative Hardware Store. RSVP to lauren@middletoncoop.com. This is a Dane County Fair approved education event for Beef, Sheep and Swine.
  • 6/3/20234-H Swine Clinic – from 10:00-11:00am at 5132 County Road A, Oregon, WI - Youth will learn the basics of swine showmanship with a live animal through demonstration and hands-on practice. Open to all ages, youth in grades K-5 must be accompanied by an adult. No pre-registration required. Questions? Contact Blayne Outhouse at farmerblayne@gmail.com.
  • TBD – 33 Feeds
  • May TBD – 4-H Swine Showmanship and Grooming

Contact the Fair Office at info@danecountyfair.com to receive approval for educational opportunities not listed.



Additional Information

Squeaky Clean Biosecurity Plan Fact Sheet – pdf
Swine Health Rules




IMPORTANT 2024 Swine Info related to the Dane County Fair (DCF) and information from the Meat Animal Sale Committee (MAS) – please read all below if you plan on participating in the Dane County Fair:

  1. The DCF is no longer a terminal fair. This means that participants will be responsible for transporting their swine home, to a processor, or to a market. The swine committee will not facilitate transport of the hogs for processing or sale, including Meat Animal Sale hogs. If participants intend to have hogs butchered for family use or for private sales, they should contact their processing facilities now to ensure a processing slot.
  2. Because the Fair is not terminal, swine shown will require a negative PRRS and PEDV test for your facility/herd. This is in addition to the veterinary health check. This test will cost approximately $80 to 90. The Swine Department will try to provide test kits, but this is not guaranteed so you may need to contact your vet if we cannot supply.
  3. The use of the feed additive ractopamine (Paylean) is not allowed for DCF swine. This reflects the market trend where major processors will not accept swine that have been fed this feed additive. They are responding to their buyers who make this demand.
  4. A breeding gilt class has been added. A pig shown as a breeding gilt cannot also be shown as a market gilt and is not eligible for the MAS.
  5. If you have questions, please contact Dick Straub (richard.straub@wisc.edu) or Blayne Outhouse (farmerblayne@gmail.com).



Dane County Fair Swine Check-in

Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM at the 4-H/UW Extension Office on Fen Oak Drive, Madison.

All paperwork will be provided. Contact Dick Straub at Richard.straub@wisc.edu with questions.

SWINE TAGGING PROCESS - REVIEW PREMIUM BOOK INFORMATION FOR MORE DETAILS:

This year you will need to pick up tags and put in your own animals.

The picking up of tags will occur, on Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 9:00-11:00am at the Extension/4-H Office, 5201 Fen Oak Drive, Madison. Stop in anytime.

You must know the breed, sex, and ear notches for the animal(s).

You must own the animal(s).

A parent or guardian must be present to sign.

Rope kits for PRRS testing will be provided as long as supply lasts

For gilts, you must designate either market or breeding

If pigs cannot go home Sunday evening of fair due to biosecurity concerns, this must be arranged at registration, not later.

If you cannot attend this registration, must make arrangements with Blayne Outhouse (farmerblayne@gmail.com) or Dick Straub (Richard.straub@wisc.edu) before April 20 for alternative (not day of or later)

Tags then should be attached to the animals by May 1, 2024 and paperwork returned to Dick Straub by May 3, 2024.




Dane County Fair Meat Animal Sale (MAS) Information

The Dane County Meat Animal Sale is managed by the Dane County Meat Animal Sale Association. This association is an organization of interested persons whose purpose is the organization and operation of the Dane County Meat (Large) Animal Sale. This is an independent association and is not connected to the Dane County Fair Board, Dane County 4-H Leaders Association, UW-Extension Office, or any other group. For questions, contact DaneCountyMeatAnimalSale@gmail.com.


The Meat Animal Sale will be held at the Dane County Fair on Friday, July 19 at 6:45 PM in Pavilion 2.

2024 MAS Scholarship Application (due by June 15)

Grand Champion Sponsors

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