Over its 13-day span, the New York State Fair will rotate an estimated 10,000 different animals through its barn doors.
Some are livestock for sale, including cattle, pigs, horses, goats, and sheep. And, others are for show and education, like llamas, rabbits, even birds of prey.
Every animal is required to undergo inspection and have a clean bill of health to enter the park.
“Animals are coming and going every day. So, our vets are here every day,” pointed out Commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Richard Ball. “So, as the cows come in the birthing center, the cows are arriving. We’ve got sheep coming in, we’ve got horses coming in. Because some of their activities start immediately.”
Last year, the fair closed a baby goat exhibit as it was about to open. The medical team made the decision after it found a blister on one baby goat’s mouth. While follow up tests were inconclusive, Ball said his team followed normal procedures.
“They exercise the same level of vigilance every year and you know, as soon as they were here, the goats were here. Our guests were here. They dealt with it within minutes so people can feel very good about coming to the fair.”
Whether it’s the animals or the agriculture that children and adults visit this year at the New York State Fair, Ball said he hopes getting out and interacting with it all helps them connect the dots to the importance of the state's agriculture industry.
