2023 Delaware State Fair Livestock Updates

The 2023 DSF Livestock Handbook has been posted on the state fair website under the livestock exhibitors tab https://www.delawarestatefair.com/livestock-general-information and entries open on April 1. Advisors, parents and exhibitors are strongly encouraged to read it thoroughly as there are a number of changes to the general livestock exhibitor rules this year that will impact market animal exhibitors.

A few important changes to note are:

• The adoption of a drug testing program for all champion and reserve market animals to ensure fair competition and a safe food product to enter the slaughter chain
• The requirement of a YQCA certificate that is valid through July of 2023 at the time a market animal entry is made. An entry will not be accepted without the YQCA certificate being uploaded at the time of entry.
• A declaration form that must be completed if your animal qualifies for the junior livestock auction and has not completed a drug withdrawal by the time of the auction. The withdrawal completion date and time will be announced at auction prior to the start of bidding on that animal.
• An updated deadline of July 1 for market animal photo submissions for Junior Livestock Auction add-ons.
• A new policy that clarifies that entries in breeding shows that are made under a farm name must disclose at the time of entry, the names of the adults involved in the farm so that the maximum of 2 entries per individual per class is not exceeded.

Several of these policy updates also have forms associated with them that are included in the handbook. It is an exhibitor’s responsibility to be familiar with these new policies and procedures.

2023 Delaware State Fair Livestock Tagging Dates

Tagging dates for market lambs, market hogs, market goats, market steers and feeder calves for the 2023 Delaware State Fair are:

• Saturday, May 6, 8 am-11 am – Cook Family Farm 3300 Frazer Rd. Newark  (NC County)
• Saturday, May 13, 8 am-11 am- State Fairgrounds (Kent and Sussex County)
• Tuesday, May 23, 5 pm- 8 pm – Delaware State Fair (Kent and Sussex County)

If you choose to participate in the 4-H/FFA Rate of Gain Contest sponsored by the Delaware Farm Bureau, you need to attend the tagging/weigh in for your county.  If you choose not to participate in the 4-H/FFA Rate of Gain Contest you may tag at any of the locations regardless of which county you are enrolled in.

2023 State 4-H Avian Bowl Study Sections

The Avian Bowl is a knowledge-based quiz bowl style competition that focuses on poultry and eggs and poultry industry topics.  The 2023 Delaware 4-H Avian Bowl will be Saturday July 29th at 1:00 pm in the Centre.

All questions and answers will come from the following material in the 2016 version and the updated 2023 sections of the Avian Bowl Manual. Both are available online free of charge through the National 4-H Avian Bowl website https://national4hpoultry.ca.uky.edu/content/avian-bowl

2023 Study Sections:

• Prologue … pdf available online in new 2023 online version
• Avian systems (Circulatory, nervous, excretory, muscle, skeletal only) … pages 39-40~ 2016 Manual
• Breeds, varieties, and strains (through New Hampshires, Characteristics) … pages 67-71~ 2016 Manual
• Eggcyclopedia  … pages 102-124 ~ 2016 Manual
• Small turkey flock (All)… pages 45-54 ~ 2016 Manual
• A revised version of ‘Changing World of Poultry and Eggs Market‘ … pdf available online
• Embryology (Daily development through entire glossary) … pages 191-195 ~2016 Manual
• New section: Non-food uses of eggs … pdf available online

The avian bowl manual is now available online, free of charge, including some of the new sections and some of the revised sections.

2023 avian bowl sections (pdf)

Prologue to the new avian bowl manual (pdf)

Changing world of poultry and egg markets (pdf)

Complete 2016 avian bowl manual (pdf) for the pages from avian systems; breeds, varieties, and strains; eggcyclopedia; small turkey flock; and embryology

Entries must be made online through the Delaware State Fair website www.delawarestatefair.com by June 1.  Teams should be entered once under the club name.

Delaware Pork Producers Lawrence McClements Memorial Scholarship
Lawrence McClements (1924-2019) was a long-standing member of the Delaware Pork Industry and exemplified what it meant to be an advocate for raising Berkshire pigs. He began showing hogs at the age of thirteen and continued raising and showing hogs for more than 80 years up until his passing. His family farm (Kent Acres Farm) is located in Kenton, Delaware and first began as a dairy farm in 1950. Even with a substantial dairy cattle herd, Lawrence’s true passion was raising Berkshire hogs. There was never a time when a Berkshire breed was not represented on the farm. To this day, the McClements family continues the legacy that Lawrence began, and continues to breed and raise Berkshire show pigs to this day. This $500.00 scholarship will be awarded to an individual who exemplifies what it means to be a supporter of the swine industry on behalf of the Delaware Pork Producers in honor of Lawrence.

To be eligible applicant must:

1) Be a current junior or high school student or an undergraduate student at a college.

2) AND be either a 4H or FFA swine exhibitor at the Delaware State Fair.

3) A cover sheet with the following information:

• Name of Applicant
• Name of School
• Year in School
• Contact Information (home & school mailing address, telephone number & e-mail address)

4) An essay of 1000 words or less describing how their involvement in raising swine has impacted their life and an issue the applicant sees confronting the pork industry today or in the future, and what their solutions entail.

5) Two professional letters of reference from non-family members

Please submit your application either through email to delpiglady@gmail.com or send materials in a single envelope to:

Amanda Fabi 12320 Blanchard Road Greenwood, DE 19950

Entry Deadline: Postmarked by JUNE 16, 2023.

No late entries will be accepted. Essays are judged based on clarity and expression, persuasiveness, originality, and relevance of topic. Winners will be announced at the Delaware State Fair at the beginning of the Junior Market Hog Show along with pen display winners.