DEPARTMENT 2 - DAIRY CATTLE
​Chairpersons:  Alyssa Sprout Brace 570-767-1030 or [email protected] &
​Francis Hirkey 570-533-1731 or [email protected]

Schedule of Events:
  • Milk cow entries (all breeds) must enter the Fairgrounds on Wednesday, August 27, 2025 before 12:00 PM. 
  • Thursday, August 28, 2025 – 2:00 PM –Combined Open and Youth All Breeds Milking Cow Show.
    • Best Bred & Owned of the Color Breeds – Vincent Neville Memorial Award will be chosen.
    • Holstein Best Bred & Owned – Dave Mattocks Memorial Award will be chosen.
    • Open Supreme Champion (Bob Parr Memorial Award) and Youth Supreme Champion (Brent Cook Memorial Award) will be chosen at the conclusion of the show.
    • PLEASE NOTE:  Group classes needing heifers will be shown THURSDAY.  In order to be paid for the Group Classes you must enter them when you turn in your entries.
  • Milk Cow entries may leave the Fairgrounds on Thursday, August 28, 2025 after 9:00 PM.
  • Heifer entries (all breeds) may begin entering the Fairgrounds after Thursday, August 28, 2025 at 9:00 PM and must be in place before Friday, August 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM and will remain on the grounds until Monday at 6:00 PM.
  • Saturday, August 30, 2025 – 10:00 AM – Combined Open and Youth All Breeds Heifer Show.
    • Open Supreme Heifer (Herb Steele Memorial Award) and Youth Supreme Heifer (Bonavita Memorial Award) will be chosen at the conclusion of the show.
    • All BANNERS will be presented at the conclusion of the show on SATURDAY.
  • Sunday, August 31, 2025 – 12:00 PM – Youth Dairy Showmanship Contest
  • Sunday, August 31, 2025 – 7:00 PM – Dairy Exhibitor Cookout and Family Fun Night.  Bring a dish to pass!
  • All remaining entries may leave the Fairgrounds on Monday, Labor Day, after 6:00 PM.  *No trailers will be allowed on the grounds before the designated departure time.  The loading of equipment or animals early is not permitted.*
General Rules:
  1. Early entry fee is $4.00 per head with a postmark date no later than August 1st.  Entry fees for entries with a postmark date August 2nd through August 8th will be $6.00 per head.  Any entries received after August 15th will not be accepted.  There will be no exceptions to these deadlines.
  2. Entry form must be filled out completely including section number and class number.  Youth classes are for exhibitors age 7 to 21 as of January 1st of the current year.    Youth exhibitors must fill out both section numbers if they wish to participate in both open and youth.  Filling out the youth section number only WILL NOT enter you into the open classes.  Take care when filling out the entry form as NO CHANGES TO ENTRIES WILL BE MADE AT CHECK IN TIME, no exceptions! 
    1. If there are multiple youths/exhibitors showing under one farm name that would like to have separate premium checks, EACH INDIVIDUAL MUST FILL OUT A SEPARATE ENTRY FORM!
  3. In order to be paid premiums for group classes, you must enter them on the entry form.  NO GROUP ENTRIES will be accepted after the entry deadline of August 15.
  4. NEW:  Dual entry of Red & White Holsteins is permitted.  Exhibitor MUST fill out a SEPARATE entry line for Black & White and Red & White entry AND pay an entry fee for EACH entry.
  5. Show order:  Classes will go by age rotating through the breeds.  i.e. Ayrshire Spring Calf, Brown Swiss Spring Calf, etc.
  6. Bulls will not be accepted in any breed class.
  7. Spring calf will be permitted with horns.  No other age animal will be permitted to have horns.
  8. Stall assignments will be posted the Sunday prior to the Fair, at the discretion of the Chairpersons and are final.  Requests for stall assignments must be included with entry.
  9. If an exhibitor is unable to tend their animals during the fair, they MUST inform the Chairman IN WRITING of the fact and who shall be responsible in their absence.  Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the premiums, and could result in removal of the animals from the Fairgrounds.
  10. Substitutions may be made class for class within the same breed only at the time of check in.
  11. Exhibitors are responsible for knowing when their animal will be judged.  Failure to present the animals at the ring when called will result in disqualification.
  12. Premiums:  A minimum of six (6) animals per breed will qualify for 100% of the listed premiums.  Less than six (6) animals per breed will be 50% of the listed premiums.  Group classes will be paid to the exhibitor only, not all the owners.
  13. All animals must have an official ear tag/tattoo or RFID tag and an official registration certificate issued by one of the following breed associations:  American Guernsey Association, American Jersey Cattle Club, American Milking Shorthorn Society, Ayrshire Breeders Association, Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders Association, Holstein Association of America, or Red and White Dairy Cattle Association.  Animals may be shown in one breed classification only.
    1. Jersey:  Animals must be registered in the herd register of the AJCA and have HR or GR status.  Animals with Genetic Recovery (fully registered) certificates are eligible.  This does not include Originals Animals (OA), Provisional Registry (PR) animals, or J 1 animals.
    2. Ayrshire:  Ayrshires must be 87% purebred Ayrshire on the registration certificate as verified by the Ayrshire Breeders Association.
    3. Guernsey:  Registered Guernsey females and females in Step 4 of the Genetic Recovery program are eligible.  Step 4 females have a “GR” prefix in their name.  No other prefixes are eligible.
    4. Holstein:  Any animal identified with Holstein Association, USA, Inc. that is 87% or higher Registered Holstein Ancestry (RHA) is eligible. 
    5. Red & White:  Registration papers and/or certificate of identification (CID) accepted from Holstein Association USA showing suffix “RED”, RWDCA, and Holstein Canada.  Red & White animals must carry 87% dairy bloodlines.
    6. Brown Swiss:  Animals with standard registry Brown Swiss certificate (white with green border) are eligible.  Step II IE Identity Enrollment animals which have a green certificate with black border are also eligible.  Animals with other colored certificates are not eligible for show.
    7. Milking Shorthorn:  Cattle must have a white Milking Shorthorn Registry Certificate that does not contain the words “Not eligible to show”.  Yellow certificates are not eligible to show.  Tattoo numbers must correspond with registry certificates.  Animals must have a base hair color of red, white, or roan according to American Milking Shorthorn Society’s hair color regulations.
  14. Registration papers (transferred, not pending) and Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) must accompany the animal and must be checked and approved.  
  15. For leased animals, a copy of the official leased document signed by the state official must be sent with the entry form.  Please also have a copy present with you.  State 4-H transfer and lease date deadlines apply.
  16. Animals shown in the youth classes must be registered or leased in the youth’s name and must be exhibited by the owner or a youth the same age or younger.
  17. Premier Exhibitor and Premier Breeder Awards: 
    1. A minimum of 15 animals shown and 3 different exhibitors per breed.
    2. Exhibitor defined:  Please inform the recording table of the animals not owned by you to qualify for points prior to the show.
    3. Breeder defined:  The individual whose prefix appears on the Registry Certificate shall be considered the breeder of the animals for tabulation of Premier Breeder points.
    4. Partnership or syndicate ownership defined:  Regardless of ownership, Premier Exhibitor points will be awarded to the individual who is housing the animal.  Pertaining to Premier Breeder, all points will be awarded to the prefix.  There will be NO SPLITTING of Premier Breeder/Premier Exhibitor points.
    5. Total points will be determined by the seven highest point animals for both Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor.  Points are figured on the following basis:
                              1                  2              3              4              5              6              7              Placings
                              20               18           16           14           10           6              4              Senior Females
                              10               9              8              7              5              3              2              Junior & Dry Females
   18. Exhibitors will put up name tags to accommodate the number of animals shown.
   19. DRESS CODE:  NO BLUE JEANS OR SHORTS!!
   20. Judges do not have to award ribbons if the entries do not meet standards.  The Judge’s decisions are final.
   21. All youth exhibitors on the fairgrounds overnight must be supervised by an adult.
   22. The Wyoming County Fair and their members will not be responsible for any accident of any kind or nature that may occur to any animal, person, or property.            The exhibitors and spectators shall hold them harmless and indemnify them against any legal proceeding arising from any accident and/or damage.  By                    submitting entries to the Wyoming County Fair you agree to abide by these rules as well as any rules posted before or during the Fair.      
Health Requirements:
General Information:
  1. Dairy cattle from a premises on which dairy animals are showing clinical signs of infection with influenza A virus are prohibited from entering an exhibition.  Clinical signs may include a decrease in feed consumption, with a simultaneous decrease in rumination and rumen motility; respiratory signs including clear nasal discharge; and subsequent acute drop in milk production.  Additional clinical signs may include abnormal tacky or loose feces, lethargy, dehydration, and fever.  Severely affected cattle may have thicker, concentrated, colostrum-like milk or produce no milk at all.  Animals showing clinical signs compatible with infection must be cleared by the State Animal Health Office. 
  2. Dairy cattle which have been on a premises where influenza A virus has been confirmed in dairy cattle are prohibited from entering an exhibition until that premises has been declared free of disease by the State Animal Health Official.
  3. Dairy cattle which have been on a premises where influenza A virus has been confirmed in domestic birds are prohibited from entering an exhibition until that premises has been declared free of disease by the State Animal Health Official.
  4. Dairy cattle which have been on a premises which is located within a three-kilometer area of a premises where influenza A virus has been confirmed in domestic birds are prohibited from entering an exhibition until the State Animal Health Official has declared that area as free of disease, based on epidemiological investigation and surveillance testing. 
Pennsylvania Cattle Requirements:
  1. All animals should be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) issued 30 days prior to arrival.
  2. All animals must be free of evidence of infectious or contagious diseases and a statement of this is required on the CVI.
  3. Cattle shall be identified by an official ear tag or other unique identification device approved by PDA.  Official identification includes:
    1. A USDA-issued National Uniform Eartagging System (NUES) ear tag having a US shield; or
    2. A 15-digit Animal Identification Number (AIN) ear tag starting with “840” and having a US shield
  4. Influenza A testing requirements (applicable only if there is a case of influenza A in dairy cattle in Pennsylvania):
    1. The dairy animal shall have been part of a biosecure assembled group for a period of at least 30 days prior to the date of sample collection in accordance with subsection (b) below.  New animals may not have been added to the herd or group within the 30-day period preceding the date of sample collection, or after the date of sample collection and before movement. 
    2. Individual dairy animals 18 months of age and older shall be tested within the seven days prior to entry into the exhibition.
      1. Lactating dairy animals – A milk specimen shall be collected for testing in accordance with the provisions of this section from each lactating animal.  Milk specimens shall be collected in a manner that is in accordance with National Veterinary Service Laboratory (NVSL) guidance to the testing National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory.
      2. Non-lactating dairy animals – Nasal swabs shall be collected for testing in accordance with the provisions of this section from each non-lactating animal.  Nasal swabs shall be collected in a manner that is in accordance with NVSL guidance provided to the testing NAHLN laboratory.
    3. Milk specimens and nasal swabs shall be collected and submitted by or under the supervision of an accredited veterinarian (category II).  The accredited veterinarian collecting or supervising the collection of the diagnostic specimens shall have a veterinarian-client patient relationship (VCPR) with the owner or caretaker of the animal.
    4. Alternatively, “Monitored Status” for herds enrolled in the Pennsylvania Lactating Dairy Cow Health Monitoring Program removes the need for individual animal testing.
    5. Each specimen or sample collected and submitted under this section shall be tested for influenza A virus using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and protocols approved by NVSL.
    6. Testing of all specimens or samples collected and submitted under this section shall be performed at a NAHLN laboratory.  The individual specimens shall not be pooled by the accredited veterinarian (category II) or any person other than at the NAHLN laboratory testing the samples.
    7. All dairy cattle arriving at an animal exhibition shall have been tested in accordance with this section and shall have been negative or not-detacted test result.  The laboratory test report, or a copy of the report, shall accompany each dairy cow to the animal exhibition and shall be made available to the holder or staff of the animal exhibition and any Department employee.  Animals enrolled and in compliance with the Pennsylvania Lactating Dairy Cow Health Monitoring Program shall be accompanied by proof of program enrollment and compliance as provided by the Department.
    8. Exemptions:  Dairy cattle less than 18 months of age are not required to be tested for influenza A virus prior to exhibition.
  5. A current rabies vaccination administered by a licensed veterinarian is recommended for animals 3 months of age and older.
  6. Out of state entries – refer to the current year’s PA Department of Agriculture Animal Health Requirements. 
SHOW RING CODE OF ETHICS:
***PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AS THEY WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED***
Any of the following practices found to be in evidence by Fair Officials will result in expulsion from the show of animals and person(s) responsible for the act.
  1. Misrepresenting the age of the animal for the class for which it is shown.
  2. Balancing the udder by any abnormal means including the use of mechanical contrivance, or the injection of fluid or drugs.
  3. Setting the teats with a mechanical contrivance or with the use of chemical preparation.
  4. Treating or massaging the udder or its attachments with an irritant or counter-irritant.  The use of common products as fly spray, ointment, or liniment in excess to the extent that it is irritating is included as an irritant, unless required to reduce edema at the time of calving.
  5. Treating or massaging any part of the body internally or externally with an irritant, counter-irritant, or other substance to temporarily straighten a weak back or loin or to produce unnatural animation.
  6. Blocking the nerves to the foot to prevent limping.
  7. Striking the animal to cause swelling in a depressed area.
  8. Surgery of any kind performed to change the natural contour or appearance of the animal’s body, hide, or hair.  Not included is removal of teats and horns, clipping of hair, and trimming hooves.
  9. Insertion of foreign material under the skin.
  10. Changing the color of hair at any point, spot, or area on the animal’s body, including the blackening of gray spots.
  11. The use of alcoholic beverages in the feed or administration as a drench.
  12. Criticizing or interfering with the judge or other exhibitors while in the ring.
  13. Minimizing the effects of crampiness by feeding or injecting drugs, depressants, or applying packs or using any artificial contrivance or therapeutic treatment excepting normal exercise.
  14. Administration of a drug of any kind or description internally or externally prior to entering the show ring, except for treating a recognized disease or injury.  For the purposes of these rules, the term “drug” shall mean – any substance, the sale, possession, or use of which is controlled by license under federal, state, or local laws or regulations and any substance commonly used by the medical or veterinary professions which affect the circulatory, respiratory, or central nervous system of a cow.
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