For Health Requirement Information:
Illinois Department of Agriculture
Bureau of Animal Health and Welfare
State Fairgrounds P.O. Box 19281
Springfield, IL 62794-9281
Phone (217) 782-4944
2026 Exhibition Livestock Health Requirements
County Fairs
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
- Exhibitors are required to familiarize themselves with all rules applicable to their exhibits. All out-of-state animals
shall require an entry permit. Entry permit numbers are available online at
https://entrypermit.agr.illinois.gov/Login.aspx. - All animals, except as noted, shall be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) which shows
that the animal meets all health requirements for the State of Illinois. CVI’s shall be made available to Bureau of
Animal Health Personnel on request. If an official electronic CVI is utilized, the exhibitor should be able to log on
and show Bureau of Animal Health Personnel the completed CVI.
CVI means a legible record made on an official form from the state of origin which has been issued, signed and
dated by an accredited veterinarian and which shows the name and address of the animal’s owner or exhibitor and
the results of all required tests or vaccinations. A CVI shall list only one animal identification per line; shall be
presented on the form on which it was initially issued; and shall not be corrected, changed or altered in any manner. - All animals shall be officially identified. The animal(s) official identification shall be recorded on the CVI.
Animal identification number (AIN): A numbering system for the official identification of individual animals in the
United States that provides a nationally unique identification number for each animal. The AIN consists of 15
digits, with the first 3 being the country code (840 for the United States or a unique country code for any U.S.
territory that has such a code and elects to use it in place of the 840 code). - If animals are from tuberculosis accredited, brucellosis certified, pseudorabies qualified, or brucellosis validated
herds, the identifying herd number(s) along with the date of the last herd test(s) shall appear on the CVI. - CVI for out-of-state livestock shall be void thirty (30) days after issuance.
- CVI for Illinois-origin livestock shall be void ninety (90) days after issuance.
- All livestock shall be subject to examination upon entry to any Illinois fair or exhibition. Any animal showing
evidence of infectious, contagious or communicable diseases shall be immediately withdrawn and held in
quarantine at the owner’s risk and expense until properly treated and recovered, or until the animal is released to
return to the owner’s premise. Any livestock infected with scabies, mange, active lesions of ringworm, sore mouth,
or multiple warts which are easily visible without close examination shall not be permitted to exhibit and are
subject to quarantine or removal from the fairgrounds. Sheep and goats with caseous lymphadenitis as evidenced
by draining abscesses shall not be exhibited and are subject to immediate quarantine or removal from the
fairgrounds. In the event of the suspicion of or diagnosis of a foreign animal disease, emerging animal disease, or
other actionable disease, animals may be subject to quarantine on the fairgrounds until such time that it is
determined that the disease is no longer a threat. - Illinois Department of Agriculture personnel or designee may collect blood, tissue, milk or urine samples from any
animal being exhibited and/or raced at any Illinois fair to test for the presence of illegal drugs or banned
substances. Examination techniques, such as ultrasound, may also be used at anytime while the animals are on the
grounds of any Illinois fair or exhibit. The Illinois Department of Agriculture or designee may collect urine, blood,
tissue or other test samples from exhibition animals at the time of slaughter. - All exhibitors of animals at any Illinois fair or exhibition shall comply with the provisions of the Illinois Humane
Care for Animals Act. If violations are observed, the animals(s) will be excused from exhibition and ordered
removed from the grounds with all awards being forfeited.
Any practice or deviation from normal, accepted care, including physical, medical or mechanical application, shall
constitute a violation of show rules and may result in the animal(s) disqualification and removal from the
fairgrounds. - Any Illinois cattle, bison, cervidae or goats being exhibited in non-accredited free states must be isolated from the
remainder of the herd/flock upon return to Illinois and retested for tuberculosis 60-120 days post-entry.
CATTLE
Identification -Individual identification of each animal shall be by a USDA official animal identification number ear tag,
(“840” tag). The identification tag must be able to be read both visually and electronically.
ILLINOIS CATTLE
Brucellosis – Illinois is a Bovine Brucellosis Class-Free State. Brucellosis testing is not required for Illinois cattle.
Tuberculosis – Illinois is an Accredited Tuberculosis- Free State. Tuberculin testing is not required for Illinois cattle.
Please note: Illinois calves under 6 months of age, and Illinois steers are not required to have a Certificate of
Veterinary Inspection.
Out-of-State-Cattle
All out-of-state cattle are to be accompanied by an entry permit. Entry permit numbers are available online at
https://entrypermit.agr.illinois.gov/Login.aspx.
Brucellosis –
1. Female cattle six (6) months of age and older and bulls eighteen (18) months of age and older shall be negative to an
official test for brucellosis within thirty (30) days prior to entry, unless exempt by one (1) of the following:
A. Originate directly from a certified brucellosis-free herd.
B. Official vaccinates of dairy breeds under twenty (20) months of age or official vaccinates of beef breeds under twentyfour (24) months of age.
C. Animal originated from a “Class Free” state (if entire state is so classified)
D. Steers and spayed heifers are not required to be tested for brucellosis.
2. The negative brucellosis test shall be conducted at a state or federal laboratory within 30 days prior to exhibition.
Tuberculosis –
1. Accredited Tuberculosis Free States
A. No tuberculin test required. All cattle, including steers, originating from an Accredited Tuberculosis Free State, may
enter Illinois for exhibition when accompanied by a CVI issued by an accredited veterinarian within 30 days.
2. Non-Accredited Tuberculosis Free Areas or States (Not TB Free)
A. Cattle must originate from a herd where a complete herd test was conducted within the past year.
B. The individual animals entering Illinois must be negative to an additional tuberculin test conducted within 30 days
prior to exhibition.
C. Cattle that enter Illinois for exhibition and remain in Illinois (animal does not return to the state of origin within 30
days) must be isolated and retested for TB 60-120 days from the last official TB test date.
ILLINOIS SWINE – Identification – Individual identification of each animal shall be by a USDA official animal
identification number ear tag, (“840” tag). The identification tag must be able to be read both visually and electronically.
(Note: Ear notch identification of crossbred swine does not satisfy USDA identification requirements for interstate
movement or official testing.)
Brucellosis – Brucellosis testing is not required for Illinois swine.
Pseudorabies – Pseudorabies testing is not required for Illinois swine.
Out-of-State Swine
All out-of-state swine are to be accompanied by an entry permit. Entry permit numbers are available online at
https://entrypermit.agr.illinois.gov/Login.aspx.
Identification – Individual identification of each animal shall be by a USDA official animal identification number ear
tag, (“840” tag). The identification tag must be able to be read both visually and electronically.
Brucellosis – 1. Breeding swine 4 months of age and older shall be negative to an official test for brucellosis within 30
days prior to exhibition unless exempt by one (1) of the following:
A. Originate immediately and directly from a validated brucellosis-free herd.
B. Originate directly from a validated brucellosis-free state.
2. Swine brucellosis tests for exhibition shall be conducted at a state or federal laboratory.
Pseudorabies – 1. Swine originating from a Pseudorabies Stage IV or V state are exempt from the pseudorabies
testing requirement.
2. Swine originating from a Pseudorabies Stage III state shall be negative to an official test for
pseudorabies conducted within thirty (30) days prior to entry or originate immediately and directly
from a qualified pseudorabies negative herd.
3. Swine originating from a Pseudorabies Stage I or II state shall be negative to an official test for
pseudorabies conducted within the 10 days prior to entry.
4. Barrows and females in market classes must meet the same requirements as breeding swine.
SHEEP – Identification – Individual identification of each animal shall be by an ear tattoo or official metal or plastic
tag. A microchip ID is acceptable if the owner provides the reader. Ear tattoos may be used when a registration certificate,
listing the tattoo number, accompanies the animal. When using ear tags, the tag must indicate the premises ID and state of
origin. The tag number must be assigned by a state or APHIS representative and recorded in the Scrapie Record Database.
Market Lambs
All market lambs must be (show ring ready) before weigh-in so that show lamb fungus can be identified.
ILLINOIS SHEEP
1. Sheep originating from a flock that has previously been classified as either an infected or source flock can be
exhibited in Illinois upon the completion of an approved flock plan.
2. The CVI must include the flock of birth and the flock of origin, if different.
Out-of-State Sheep
All out-of-state sheep are to be accompanied by an entry permit. Entry permit numbers are available online at
https://entrypermit.agr.illinois.gov/Login.aspx.
1. Sheep originating from a flock that has previously been classified as either an infected or source flock can be
exhibited in Illinois upon the completion of an approved flock plan.
2. The CVI must include the flock of birth and the flock of origin, if different.
GOATS -Identification
Individual identification of each animal shall be by an ear tattoo or official metal or plastic tag. A microchip ID is
acceptable if the owner provides the reader.
Tattoos may be used when a registration certificate, listing the tattoo number, accompanies the animal
When using ear tags, the tag must indicate the premises ID and state of origin. The tag number must be assigned
by a state or APHIS representative and recorded in the Scrapie Record Database.
Ears should be used for tattooing when possible. If there is no space in the ear, the flank or tail fold may be used.
ILLINOIS GOATS
1. Goats originating from a herd that has previously been classified as either an infected or source herd can be
exhibited in Illinois upon the completion of an approved herd plan.
2. The CVI must include the flock of birth and the flock of origin, if different.
Out-of-State Goats – All out-of-state goats are to be accompanied by an entry permit. Entry permit numbers are available
online at https://entrypermit.agr.illinois.gov/Login.aspx
1. Goats originating from a herd that has previously been classified as either an infected or source herd can be
exhibited in Illinois upon the completion of an approved herd plan.
2. Tuberculosis- Goats from areas or states that are not Accredited Bovine Tuberculosis Free, must be
accompanied by a CVI indicating that the goats originated from a herd where a complete negative herd test has
been conducted within the past twelve (12) months and the individual animals are negative to a tuberculin test
conducted within thirty (30) days prior to entry. The CVI must include the flock of birth and the flock of
origin, if different.