By ANN ALLEN
Indiana Correspondent

WARSAW, Ind. — Rumors of 4-H members buying champion animals from one fair only to exhibit them in their own fairs are being squelched on a county-to-county basis, according to Sarah O’Hara, extension educator, 4-H Youth Development, Purdue Extension - Kosciusko County.

While tattooing, ear tagging, branding or even taking nose prints have become somewhat standard, many counties, including Kosciusko, Fulton, Whitley, Miami and, to some extent, Allen, are utilizing retinal imaging.

Although the procedure sounds like something out of a spy thriller, it is a non-invasive technique in which a digital camera takes a photo of an animal’s retinal vascular pattern.

According to Purdue University’s Biometric Stands, Performance and Assurance Laboratory, the vascular pattern is unique between animals, twins, clones and even between eyes.

The counties utilizing retinal imaging take the photos during spring registration and weigh-in.

While the imaging is primarily for beef animals, Whitley also uses it for dairy steers state fair-bound. Miami County uses retinal imaging for sheep and goats headed for the state fair.

Equally frustrating have been rumbles of unauthorized drug usage and growth enhancing agents.

Testing for these has its share of complexities.

Doug Sheetz, a member of the Whitley County 4-H Council, said his county is looking into testing.

“We first want to check with Purdue to see what our liability would be,” Sheetz explained.

Other counties have implemented “kill shows” in which animals going through the auction at the close of the fair must be slaughtered and evaluated. In Miami County, this also applies to market heifers, according to Kim Frazier, 4-H youth development educator.

Sarah O’Hara said all Kosciusko County grand and reserve grand champion animals in beef, sheep and swine are required to be slaughtered and the carcasses evaluated either directly after the county fair, or state fair, if the 4-Her plans to take the animal to the state fair. A veterinarian chosen by the 4-H Council makes the evaluation.

Mark Kepler, agricultural extension educator for Fulton County’s Purdue Extension Service, said no testing is done at the Fulton County fair, but each 4-H member selling an animal has to complete paperwork documenting that the animal has been given only FDA-approved drugs (i.e. penicillin.)

The top three animals of each class are weighed to certify weight gain and a veterinarian feels for air bubbles and extra hair. If he doesn’t like what he feels, the animal is disqualified.

Animals going out for championship honors are put in a pen and urine samples are collected and sent to Purdue to make sure nothing was put into its system.

“If the animal is an Angus, blood samples will be taken to determine if it’s a purebred,” he said.

“Adulterated animals will be found,” Kepler said. “It’s a shame that with a good program and good kids, there are always a few bad apples, but no matter what system is used, they will be caught.
“Getting an animal into the state fair is stressful because of getting all the paperwork in tune.”

It’s easier in Allen County (Fort Wayne). According to Mike Talbott, Allen County extension educator, 4-H youth development, 4-H members are free to take their animals to the Indiana State Fair or back home.

“We’re not a kill show,” he said.

Obviously, there’s no set evaluation rule, but data continue to be collected in a variety of ways to weed out what Mark Kepler termed “a few bad apples.”