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Pig Dies Saturday At Monroe County Fair

Last updated on Tuesday, July 3, 2018

(BLOOMINGTON) - Stress and heat contributed to the death of a pig after the 4-H Swine Show on Saturday at the Monroe County Fair.

Fair officials say the 305-pound barrow collapsed likely from porcine stress syndrome, a genetic trait in pigs. It is characterised by hyperthermia triggered by stress, anaesthesia with halothane or intense exercise.

Don Conard says he wanted to get his 14-year-old daughter's pig to a wash area to cool it down, but the 4-H swine club leaders wouldn't let him. Instead, it remained in the pen for about four hours until the show ended. It died a few minutes later.

Conard is upset someone else made a decision for an animal he owns.

Amy Thompson, director of the Purdue Extension in Monroe County, says the club leaders followed the recommendations of a veterinarian who said not to move the pig to avoid additional stress and provide time for it to recover.

Thompson says the pig was given medication to limit its pain, ice was placed around the animal to cool it down and it was given water to drink.

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