August 16, 2010 - Representatives of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service have announced they are considering canceling all county stock shows scheduled for the upcoming season.
Fears of a resurgence in the so-called swine flu are behind the decision, according to a department spokesperson.
“We are afraid visitors to these stock shows will spread this disease to our pigs and hogs,” he said. “This livestock is way too valuable to our economy to risk them contracting any diseases from humans.”
Representatives of livestock concerns and local veterinarians note that the issue is the general public’s close proximity to the penned animals during these shows. Often, people are seen coughing and sneezing directly into the faces of hogs.
Stock show organizers are considering issuing face masks to all swine entered in stock shows, but the local chapter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals considers this “cruel and unflattering” punishment. Instead, humans will be asked to don haz-mat suits before entering the show arenas.
“We understand this will be a bit of a nuisance,” said one county ag official. “But we just can’t risk upsetting the health of our pigs.” He added, “Really, it’s a small price to pay to keep them healthy and happy until we slaughter and turn them into delicious smoked bacon and thick-cut pork chops.”
In other agricultural news, researchers at Iowa State University have discovered that mad cow disease may originally have been transmitted to the animals from interactions with politicians campaigning at county fairs.
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