Agricultural News
OYE Proactively Changes Timing of Gilt Show Because of PEDv Concerns
Wed, 10 Mar 2021 06:30:57 CST
One of the reasons that the Oklahoma Youth Expo is called "The Greatest Show" by many is the desire to put the young men and women who show their animals at the OYE first- and that is being seen in the last minute decision to show the breeding gilts after the scheduled run of this year's Expo. Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays sat down on the eve of the start of competition at the 2021 OYE to explore the details of the Gilt Show move with OYE's Tyler Norvell.
Norvell calls the move "proactive" as OYE came up with this plan that will offer the best biosecurity way to allow the barrow show to happen and then set up a "different" location within the State Fair Park facilities to show the breeding gilts and then allow those animals to go back home or to a new home to be used as a mama.
Norvell tells Hays "in 2019 we had PEDv, in 2020 we had COVID and here in 2021 we are dealing with COVID and PEDv." Several weeks back, the OYE was warned that with PEDv being seen in hog herds around the country once again- that if the disease was discovered at OYE in 2021- they would have no choice but to shut down the event.
One word on COVID- Norvell urges everyone who comes to OYE to honor the Mask Mandate that has been established by the City of Oklahoma City.
Now back to PEDv- Two years ago- PEDv was discovered on the state fairgrounds during the OYE- and by the end of the market hog show- exhibitors rushed to leave the grounds and in some cases, left supplies and equipment behind to try to not carry the disease back to their home operation.
Normally, commercial gilts would have started to arrive Tuesday evening- but now the plan is have the gilt show starting March 24th- after the market shows are complete and the Sale of Champions has occurred.
Norvell acknowleges that this is not a cheap solution for the Youth Expo- "it's gonna cost us anywhere from an extra $30,000 to $40,000 to do this deal- but it's important that we have these events for young people- and we'll figure out how to make it work. The extra cost is minimal compared to what we are doing for these young people. There has been frustration express by some folks that we have had to make changes- and I'm frustrated, too but it's out of our control and we have to respond as best we can to make sure we have our event."
At the end of February- the decision was made to try to keep PEDv from shutting down the swine portion of the 2021 OYE- the market barrow show would become a terminal show to help mitigate the spread if PEDv - no hogs would be allowed to go back home- and that in an effort to be able to have the breeding gilt show- the barn and pens where the hogs were housed would not be used for the March 24-28 Gilt Show.
That area will be off limits to all- and instead the gilts will be housed in the Super Barn under strict biosecurity protocols and the show itself will be in the Big House- the State Fair Arena.
The Night of Stars Gilt Sale this year becomes a matinee as it will happen online at 2 PM on Sunday afternoon, March 28th. If you show and qualify for the Night of Stars- you must sell- no exceptions.
You can listen to Ron and Tyler talk about the modified Gilt Show plan at the 2021 OYE by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below.
Click here for the slides from a presentation that was given to participants in recent days that offers a lot of the details of the Modified Gilt Show(and Barrow show, too).
Click here for the full updated Schedule of the OYE.
Click here for the landing page of the OYE website to explore more details about the 2021 event.
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