TENNESSEE FAIR REGULATIONS
TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE DIVISION OF ANIMAL HEALTH SUMMARY:
LIVESTOCK HEALTH REQUIREMENTS FOR
FAIRS AND EXHIBITIONS
I GENERAL:
A. All stalls, pens, chutes, etc., located on the grounds of
fairs and exhibitions shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected
with a disinfectant approved by USDA, APHIS between
each scheduled fair or exhibition.
B. All livestock (except poultry and equine) which enter
fairs and exhibitions shall be accompanied by an offi cial
Certifi cate of Veterinary Inspection with individual permanent
identifi cation. Certifi cates for this purpose shall be
valid for ninety (90) days from date of issue. (Tennessee livestock
only – out-of-state certifi cates are valid for thirty (30)
days from the date of issue)
C. No animal showing clinical signs of infectious or communicable
disease shall be allowed to enter or remain on
premises of fairs or exhibitions. It shall be the responsibility
of the manager of each event to assure prompt removal of
such animals.
II LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY ORIGINATING
WITHIN THE STATE OF TENNESSEE
[Certifi cates of Veterinary Inspection Valid for a Period of
Ninety (90) Days]
A. SWINE:
All swine which enter fairs and exhibitions shall be accompanied
by an offi cial Certifi cate of Veterinary Inspection
with individual permanent identifi cation or suffi cient description
to identify each animal.
B. CATTLE:
All cattle which enter fairs and exhibitions shall be accompanied
by an offi cial Certifi cate of Veterinary Inspection
with individual permanent, offi cial identifi cation.
Lactating Dairy Cattle residing within Tennessee and moving
to an exhibition, show, or sale within Tennessee (intrastate
movement) do not require pre-movement H5N1 testing.
C. POULTRY:
(1) Sponsors of poultry shows or exhibitions shall notify
the Tennessee Department of Agriculture at least thirty (30)
days prior to show or exhibition.
(2) Poultry found not to be in apparent good health shall be
removed immediately from any show or exhibition.
D. HORSES & OTHER EQUIDAE:
Horses and other Equidae six (6) months of age and older
must have a negative Equine Infectious Anemia test within
the preceding twelve (12) months.
E. SHEEP
(1) All sheep imported into or through Tennessee shall be
accompanied by an offi cial Certificate of Veterinary Inspection
and be in compliance with 0080-2-1-.02, and Title 9,
Code of Federal Regulations, Part 79.1 through 79.4.
(2) All sheep that move within the state, with the exception
of wethers under the age of 18 months that are produced for
slaughter only, including for change of ownership, shows,
fairs, expositions or slaughter shall be permanently, individually
identifi ed by a method approved in Title 9, Code of
Federal Regulations, Part 79.1 through 79.4.
F. GOATS
(1) Goats imported into or through Tennessee shall be accompanied
by an offi cial
Certifi cate of Veterinary Inspection and be in compliance
with 0080-2-1-.02, and Title 9, Code of Federal Regulations,
Part 79.1 through 79.4.
(2) Goats imported into Tennessee for immediate slaughter
to an approved slaughter establishment or to an approved
livestock market for sale to a slaughter establishment shall
only be required to have a transportation document and be
in compliance with Title 9, Code of Federal Regulations,
Part 79.1 through 79.4.
(3) All registered breeding goats, goats that have been commingled
with sheep, goats for exhibition and dairy goats
that move within the state, including for change of ownership,
shows, fairs, expositions or slaughter shall be permanently,
individually identifi ed by a method approved in Title
9, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 79.1 through 79.4.
G. CAMELIDS: Camelids must have an offi cial Certifi cate
of Veterinary Inspection as provided in Rule 0080-2-3-.01
(1).
H. CAPTIVE CERVIDAE: Captive Cervidae must have an
offi cial Certifi cate of Veterinary Inspection as provided in
Rule 0080-2-3-.01 (1).
(1) CWD susceptible species must have two forms of identifi
cation (including offi cial USDA ID)
(2) CWD susceptible species must not move from a CWD
aff ected County to a non-CWD aff ected County.
III LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY ORIGINATING OUTSIDE
THE STATE OF TENNESSEE
Livestock and Poultry entering fairs and exhibitions from
areas outside the State of Tennessee shall be subject to current
Tennessee import requirements. Please contact the state
veterinarian’s offi ce regarding questions or recent changes to
these rules. Th ese interstate requirements are summarized
as follows:
A. ALL SPECIES (except poultry):
Offi cial Certifi cate of Veterinary Inspection valid for thirty
(30) days and individual permanent offi cial identifi cation,
except for equine. Equine must have suffi cient description
to identify the animal.
B. CATTLE:
Additional requirements as follows:
(1) Tuberculosis: No requirements except for cattle originating
from regions not considered free of tuberculosis.
(2) Brucellosis: No requirements except for cattle originating
from regions not considered free of brucellosis. Test
eligible cattle – Intact male or female cattle eighteen (18)
months or older. (Vaccinates and non-vaccinates)
(3) Per the USDA Federal Order, all lactating dairy cattle
originating outside the State of Tennessee must have a negative
H5N1 test within seven (7) days of interstate movement.
Lactating dairy cattle can move back to the state of
origin within ten (10) days of test.
C. SWINE:
No testing requirements for swine unless they are originating
from a region not considered free of Brucellosis and
Pseudorabies.
D. HORSES AND OTHER EQUINES:
Animals six (6) months of age or older – Proof of negative
equine infectious anemia (Coggins) test within twelve (12)
months. Results recorded on CVI.
E. POULTRY:
Originate directly from a Pullorum-Typhoid Clean Flock
and an H5/H7 Avian Infl uenza Clean Flock or be accompanied
by evidence of a negative Pullorum-Typhoid test
within ninety (90) days and a negative Avian Infl uenza test
within twenty-one (21) days.
Poultry may be subject to surveillance testing for disease as
determined by the state veterinarian.
F. SHEEP
(1) All sheep imported into or through Tennessee shall be
accompanied by an offi cial Certifi cate of Veterinary Inspection
and be in compliance with 0080-2-1-.02, and Title 9,
Code of Federal Regulations, Part 79.1 through 79.4.
(2) All sheep that move within the state, including for
change of ownership, shows, fairs, expositions or slaughter
shall be permanently, individually identifi ed by a method
approved in Title 9, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 79.1
through 79.4.
G. GOATS
(1) Goats imported into or through Tennessee shall be accompanied
by an official
Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and be in compliance
with 0080-2-1-.02, and Title 9, Code of Federal Regulations,
Part 79.1 through 79.4.
(2) Goats imported into Tennessee for immediate slaughter
to an approved slaughter establishment or to an approved
livestock market for sale to a slaughter establishment shall
only be required to have a transportation document and be
in compliance with Title 9, Code of Federal Regulations,
Part 79.1 through 79.4.
(3) All registered breeding goats, goats that have been commingled
with sheep, goats for exhibition and dairy goats
that move within the state, including for change of ownership,
shows, fairs, expositions or slaughter shall be permanently,
individually identifi ed by a method approved in Title
9, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 79.1 through 79.4.
H. CAMELIDAE: Same requirements as for cattle.
I. CERVIDAE:
Certifi cate of Veterinary Inspection and additional requirements
as follows:
(1) Brucellosis: Same requirements as for cattle.
(2) Tuberculosis:
(a) All cervidae shall originate in herds which have had
a negative herd test for tuberculosis within twelve (12)
months with a USDA approved single cervical test and individual
imported animals shall be negative to the single cervical
test within thirty (30) days of entry; or
(b) Animals not originating in tested herds as described
above must test negative to two (2) single cervical tests at
least ninety (90) days apart, the second test conducted not
more than thirty (30) days prior to entry.
(3) Two forms of identifi cation (including offi cial USDA offi
cial ID)
(4) CWD:
(a) CWD susceptible species must be from a CWD Certifi ed
Herd
NOTE: (Contact an accredited veterinarian for further details
of import rules). IV Fair association or exhibition or
management shall inform exhibitors of the rules of this
chapter and shall notify the State Veterinarian or her agent
of any violations. Exhibitors shall present evidence of compliance
with this chapter to the State Veterinarian or his
agent upon request. Th ese rules constitute a minimum legal
standard and in no way restrict the right of fair and exhibition
managers to establish additional or more stringent
requirements.
12/3/2025