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South Dakota 4-H Market Swine Self-Identification Process

South Dakota State University, South Dakota counties, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. South Dakota State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and offers all benefits, services, education, and employment opportunities without regard for race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or Vietnam Era veteran status.

© 2013 South Dakota Board of Regents, South Dakota State University

Step 1 (April, 2014 up to June 1, 2014) – Potential Exhibitor • Exhibitors interested in showing a market hog at the 2014 South Dakota State Fair within the 4-H Division must have

their market hog identified with a 4-H Green Tag and DNA Sample for eligibility. • Contact the County 4-H Office where the potential exhibitor is enrolled in to request a 4-H Green Tag and DNA Sample

Envelope to identify the market hog.

Step 2 (April, 2014 up to June 1, 2014) – County 4-H Staff • Keep an itemized list of 4-H Green Tag(s) distributed to potential exhibitors for County record. Potential exhibitors have

one week from the time of receiving the State Fair materials to return completed “Market Swine Ownership Verification Forms”, DNA Sample Envelopes, unused DNA Sample Envelopes, and any unused or ruined 4-H Green Tags.

Step 3 (April, 2014 up to June 1, 2014) – Potential Exhibitor • Upon receipt of State Fair materials, potential exhibitors have one week to complete the “Market Swine Ownership

Verification Affidavit Form”, located on www.igrow.org, and return the form and DNA Sample Envelope to the potential exhibitor’s County 4-H Office. o Market Hogs must be identified in the exhibitor’s name or in immediate family member names. If a market hog is

identified in the immediate family name only one form and DNA envelope for that animal needs to be submitted, however, all siblings’ names MUST appear on the form and DNA envelope. There is no limit to the number of market hogs which may be identified by an exhibitor; however, exhibitors are limited to entering and bringing no more than 2 market hogs per division to the Fair. Divisions include: Purebred Market Barrow, Purebred Market Gilt, Commercial Market Barrow, & Commercial Market Gilt

o All unused or ruined DNA Sample Envelopes and 4-H Green Tags must be returned to the County 4-H Office at the time of submitting the “Market Swine Ownership Verification Affidavit Form”. If any 4-H Green tag is unaccounted for at the time of submission, all animals identified by the exhibitor will be ineligible to compete at State Fair.

o Documentation of ownership and samples submitted after the one week deadline will be ineligible to be accepted by the County 4-H Office. NO Ownership Verification Affidavits or DNA samples will be accepted after June 1st.

• The 4-H Green Tag is to be placed in the ear of the hog being identified and a DNA hair sample collected; see instruction sheet located on www.igrow.org.

• Proper payment to the County 4-H Office for DNA Sample Envelopes is due at the time of submitting the samples. The cost for each animal to be State Fair identified is $6.

Step 4 (June, 2014) – County 4-H Staff o Verify all 4-H Green Tags distributed have been accounted for. If any 4-H Green tag is unaccounted for at the time of

submission, all animals identified by the exhibitor will be ineligible to enter the State Fair 4-H Division. • Market swine ownership information from the “Market Swine Ownership Verification Affidavit Form” will be entered

into the 4hOnline enrollment system by County 4-H Staff. • DNA Samples turned into the county will be submitted to AKSARBEN for processing and storing. • AKSARBEN will send a confirmation to the county stating your sample was received and all the required information has

been recorded. Counties will then need to confirm all information has been entered correctly.

Step 5 (June, 2014) – South Dakota 4-H • South Dakota 4-H will send a confirmation through the 4hOnline enrollment system to the potential exhibitor stating

ownership information has been entered and advising them to verify information was entered correctly.

Step 6 (July, 2014 – August 15, 2014) Potential Exhibitor • Do not forget to enter for the Fair! Green Tagging and submitting DNA samples is NOT an entry in the Fair.

Contact the South Dakota State 4-H Office with any questions: [email protected] 605.688.4167

http://www.igrow.org/

http://www.igrow.org/

mailto:[email protected]




Market Swine Self-Identification FAQ What is the South Dakota 4-H Market Swine Self-Identification Process? Due to increased concerns about the spread of disease, further awareness about biosecurity and the development of the Market Swine Self-Identification Process will be implemented for the 2014 project year. 4-H Youth will not be required to bring market swine project animals to a county weigh-in site in order to be 4-H Green Tagged. This new policy for exhibitors is not meant to limit youth’s involvement within the swine project but offer an alternative to families that choose to follow stricter biosecurity guidelines within their own swine operations.

How will 4-H Market Swine be identified without a weigh-in? 4-H Youth are advised to contact their county 4-H office to receive proper animal identification materials and will need to self-identify their market hogs with an official 4-H Green Tag and submit a DNA hair sample. 4-H Green Tags and DNA Sample Envelopes can be picked up at the county 4-H office and taken home to use. County 4-H offices are not responsible for mailing supplies to families if requested. Upon receipt of the identification materials, 4-H youth have one week to complete the “Market Swine Ownership Verification Affidavit Form” and return the form and DNA Sample Envelope to the county 4-H office. All unused or ruined DNA Sample Envelopes and 4-H Green Tags must be returned to the county 4-H office. Documentation of ownership and samples submitted after the one week deadline will be ineligible. No Ownership Verification Affidavits or DNA samples will be accepted after June 1st.

Who can 4-H Green Tag and collect DNA a Youth’s Market Swine? Any parent, guardian, or 4-H Volunteer can assist the 4-H Youth with tagging an animal and collecting a DNA sample. The youth is strongly encouraged to be present during the tagging and DNA collection of an animal. Those new or inexperienced with the 4-H Market Swine project are advised to seek assistance from a 4-H volunteer. All those involved should practice proper hygiene and cleanliness to reduce the risk of infection and disease spread.

Where can a 4-H Youth get an ear tagger? 4-H Youth who do not have the proper ear tagger for inserting 4-H Green Tags may borrow a tagger from another family, 4-H Volunteer, or if able from the county 4-H office. Ear taggers are also available for purchase from most farm supply companies or stores.

Will County Fair/4-H Achievement Days still be allowed to have a 4-H Market Swine Show? YES. County Fairs and 4-H Achievement Days are advised to follow the Regulations for Exhibition of Animals published by the South Dakota Animal Industry Board to make sure they have a plan in place to identify and handle sick animals properly. All event organizers and exhibitors should educate themselves on the associated risks when animals are commingled at an exhibition, show, or sale and follow biosecurity measures to reduce the chance of disease spread. Market swine entries for the State Fair 4-H Division will not be required to have received a purple ribbon at a County Fair/4-H Achievement Day in order to qualify.

How are 4-H Market Swine eligible to show at the State Fair if they do not have to receive a purple at the County Fair/4-H Achievement Day? 4-H Market Swine intended to be exhibited at State Fair must be properly identified and listed on the ownership verification affidavit by the self-identification deadline. 4-H Exhibitors will still be limited to two entries per division in the market swine show as counted towards their ten entries throughout the State Fair. 4-H Market Swine entries will be due at the same time as other 4-H livestock entries. 4-H Youth must specify which animal on the State Fair entry form.






How to 4-H Green Tag Market Swine

4-H Youth should ear tag market swine under the direction and guidance of an adult.

Equipment Needed: 4-H Green Tag, Allflex Ear Tagger, and Disinfectant Solution Step 1 Properly secure the animal. Movement of the animal’s head may cause injury to the handler or livestock, or result in improper tagging. Confine in a small pen, hog boards to restrict movement, or use a hog snare to completely secure the hog. Step 2 Identify the tagging site on the animal’s ear. Tags should be applied in the middle-third of the ear between the upper and lower ribs.

Step 3 Proper hygiene and cleanliness during the tagging process is necessary to reduce the risk of infection. Use rubbing alcohol or a disinfectant solution to clean the jaw of the applicator. Also, make sure the tagging site on the animal’s ear is clean.

Step 4 Select a 4-H Green Tag to Place in the animal’s ear. Make sure both parts of the tag list the same South Dakota 4-H Identification Number. Place the tag button on the applicator pin and the female component under the retaining spring. Before tagging the animal, check alignment of the tagger by closing the jaw of the applicator to the point where the two halves meet; the stud should be centered with the hole.

Step 5 With the correct tagging position located; firmly close the applicator in a fast manner and release. Apply the tag with the button part entering from the front (inside) of the ear. The female component should be read from the back (outside) of the ear.

Step 6 IMPORTANT: Caution, “Free Air Space” is critical for proper healing and retention. Inspect placement after tagging to ensure there is sufficient space between ear and ear tag.


4-H Green Tag

Allflex Total Tagger


REMEMBER: Cleanse hands and pliers between animal samples to ensure

that hairs from different animals are not mixed.

Fill out the remaining information lines on the

envelope, and have the witnesses sign.

Visually inspect the hairs for intact roots. Roots or follicles are easy to see (like human hairs with a bulb at the end). You may notice a color varia-tion which indicates that the root is intact. A minimum of 40 hair roots is needed.

Pull a tuft of hair from the animal. Pull the hair directly away from the skin, NOT at an angle. This will allow the hair root to come out with the hair.

Note: Do NOT cut the hair from the animal. The hair MUST CONTAIN ROOTS for DNA testing. Avoid touch-ing the roots and make sure the hair is dry.

Check the ear tag number of the animal, and record it on the hair sample envelope.

We recommend coarse hair from the loin or rump. If the animal has been shaved, hair can usually be found between the toes, on the jowl/face,

inside the ear, or around the tail head. Clean the sample area to remove dirt or other contaminants.

Use bent nose, long nose or needle nose pliers to pull the hair. You will need at least five pulls to get enough hair.

Swine Hair Instructions.pdf (Rev 02/06)

Swine Hair Sample Collection Instructions

1

2

3

5

Place the sample in the hair sample envelope, and

then seal the envelope in the presence of exhibitor

and parent/supervisor.

Do not put hairs in a plastic bag.

4

Swine Hair Sample Checklist

Select collection area–we suggest loin or rump

Record ear tag number on the envelope

Obtain at least 40 hairs with follicles

Take at least 5 pulls

Inspect for follicles–do NOT touch follicles

Obtain exhibitor signature & seal envelope

Clean pliers and hands between animals

6

3720 Gattis School Road • Suite 800, No. 217 • Round Rock, TX 78664 Phone 512-567-1977 • www.WeDNAid.com

(Rev 05/10)

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