Steer Planet - Show Steers and Club Calves Forum

Don't know if anyone noticed any of this stuff, but apparently the Nebraska State Fair pulled some pretty serious hardware from kids due to testing positive for unapproved drugs.  Article one is a report of what the State Fair did, and the next two are rebuttal articles submitted by a couple of the families.


http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/state-fair-gets-tough-on-doping-takes-away-titles/article_b5991f77-260e-54a9-ab35-0469857f1d26.html


http://www.theindependent.com/opinion/another_opinion/state-fair-must-be-fair-to-exhibitors/article_00be24ea-fff6-11e4-a6fb-cbe4f5375d1d.html

http://www.theindependent.com/opinion/another_opinion/state-fair-must-improve-testing-process/article_3c1c9894-0651-11e5-8edb-03df38e78a73.html

Had heard rumblings of this, was curious to see what would come of it.

Did I read that right?

Do they really not clean the barns out between species??

Pretty sad of Nebraska to do such a thing like that. I know if they blasted 1 of my kids and called them a cheater id be out for blood. Ive been labeled a cheater before... its called jealousy... and Karma is a fickle *****. Cheaters or not.... you don't go blasting kids names like that. My question is.... how many people on the board had kids that lost to these "cheaters"? hmmm?

why do they need the drugs in their system?

Why does someone who purchases the animal at auction need the drugs in their system?

Seems culprits are constantly blaming the fairs for their deeds.

Doesn't seem fair.

I guess at this point I don't see it as the fair getting tough so much as they were following the rules that everyone agreed to by participating.

Perhaps all participants need to sign an agreement that any illegal substances found in animals subjects the fair and slaughterhouse to liability and not informing the public and posting test results could result in criminal prosecution.

Honestly, I will never purchase an animal at a fair as I am more leery about quality/residue issues compared to the grocery store. not only that, but in my area, more than half if not 3/4 of the animals won't even grade low choice as they have consistently shown little cover. I have seen them hanging at the butcher. Obviously other regions are much better and mirror the feed industry better.

People getting caught (and not getting caught) need to look at the larger picture with regard to seeing a story like this in the paper planting doubt in the consumers mind with regard to product

Has it been 20 years since the Ohio State Fair fiasco?  I don't have any idea if the tests were flawed, if the animals picked up the drug from other animals, or what really happened.  Ryan Braun was a victim of a flawed test; for a year or two until the truth came out.  Others can truly be victims.  If the residue was picked up from another animal, then that animal was on it.  That needs to stop.  Anybody who does that stuff is doing an extreme injustice to the industry, all for a $25 trophy.  What a great way to ruin the livestock industry!  Let our customers read that what we sell them, what they consume, is laced with illegal drugs.  It's too bad testing even needs to be done.

The biggest concern I have in this facet of showing is what prevents a competitor from sabotaging your animal?  If it comes up positive, your are guilty.  Now I know that is thinking like a cheater but I have seen a showmanship competition where a mom sent her young daughter in from the bleachers to tail a competitors calf to get it to start walking.  Some will stop at nothing to win, either with their own animal or someone else's.

I see your point about sabotage thinking like a cheater, however I don't believe that is the context you intended and I will absolutely side with you on a point well taken. I believe one of the families letters made mention of tightening security. However, security won't keep someone from simply walking past a hog pen and dropping in some type of substance. The hogs in the pen will find it and they will eat it!

how does an animal pick up residue from another animal sufficient in concentration to cause a test issue?


one way to minimize sabotage, which, admittedly has to be less of an occurrence than actual illegal drug activity, would be to when animals are weighed in, a blood sample is taken.  another is taken for appropriate numbers of winners.  video cameras would help.  with them being so cheap and kids savvy about installing them, seems to not be an issue.


blood tests much match results, or another test is taken.  all that could be written in the rules.  one doesn't have to incur the cost of the test by blood collection alone, but duplicate tubes and therefore more tests could be performed to root out this needles nonsense.


granted, as mentioned, there are some appropriate use. not sure what to do about that other than residuals must be met as that's the rules.