Things heat up at Polk county Fair

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RICKREALL -- The swine barn at the Polk County Fairgrounds is usually a hectic place this time of year, filled rafter to rafter with the grunts and squeals of hyperactive pigs.

Animals need extra care during the heat at the 91st Polk County Fair at Rickreall.

Craig Coleman

RICKREALL -- The swine barn at the Polk County Fairgrounds is usually a hectic place this time of year, filled rafter to rafter with the grunts and squeals of hyperactive pigs.

But it was almost peaceful by noon on Saturday, Aug. 14.

With the temperature already above 90 degrees, the animals appeared lethargic, with the only real racket coming from large fans circulating air.

Lindsay Ruark and Becca Epperson, both 4-H members, used spray bottles to water a pair of 250-plus pound Duroc Hampshire pigs nestled in a bed of wet shavings.

"We repeat it every hour just to keep them cool," Ruark, 15, said. "And it's not even the hottest part of the day yet."

Obviously, your average person had a number of avenues to beat the spate of scorching weather during the Polk County Fair this past weekend, from ducking under a tree to downing a snow cone.

For the handlers of the 600 or so steers, pigs, chickens and other animals being shown or performing in the rodeo, the hot weather -- temperatures soared above 100 degrees on Aug. 14 -- requires a little extra attention be paid to the livestock.

"It's a huge concern," said Tina Andersen, fair manager, noting this had been the warmest county fair in three years.

"We've got big fans going in every barn, we've got lots of spray bottles," Andersen said. "We have to keep an eye on every animal."

Because they can't sweat, pigs seemed to require the most babying. FFA members constantly misted down pigs with water bottles nearly every hour. A drip system throughout the barn kept the wood shavings that pigs root in wet.

In the rabbit barn, owners had placed frozen water bottles in each rabbit pen, while wet towels were draped across the tops of chicken cages.

"The lop-eared breed of rabbits, they don't have any way to get rid of their body heat," said Deb Darr, a herdsmanship judge. "Most rabbits, their ears go up, and the excess heat goes out of their ears.

"Rabbits have weak hearts and heat is a factor that can cause them to have heart problems and die," she added.

Cows aren't quite as susceptible to heat, said Daryl Eash, a dairy cow superintendent. Still, showmanship contests were scheduled earlier in the morning or later in the evening because of the weather, Eash said.

At the rodeo grounds, Charles and Kathy Keller of Battleground, Wash., kept their 20-year-old pony, Tinker, in the shade of their trailer in between youth rodeo events.

Horses can handle the heat, provided they drink enough water, Charles Keller said. Tinker, for example, goes through about 15 to 20 gallons of water a day in hot weather.

The Kellers were actually more preoccupied with keeping their two grandchildren, both rodeo participants, hydrated, Kathy Keller said.

"They've had four bottles of water since we left this morning," she said.