Livestock show drug testing at TVMDL

Animal drug testing plays a critical role in promoting fairness, animal welfare, and consumer safety at livestock shows and other animal competitions. Similar to testing conducted in horse racing and other performance-based animal events, livestock shows test animals for substances that may enhance phenotypical traits. Samples such as urine, blood, hair, feathers, eyeballs, and feces are tested for drugs that could compromise fairness or harm the animal. Ensuring that animals are free from prohibited drugs not only preserves the integrity of these events but also reduces the risk of harmful residues entering the human food chain—a vital concern since substances like clenbuterol pose significant risks to human health. To address these concerns, many livestock shows and fairs provide drug residue avoidance guidelines, prohibiting the use of FDA- or USDA-unapproved drugs and off-label drug use. By implementing these standards, livestock shows safeguard participants and consumers while promoting responsible animal care.

The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) offers comprehensive drug testing services to detect a wide range of prohibited substances in livestock shows and county fairs across the United States. TVMDL processes more than 3,500 livestock show samples annually from over 100 events across the United States.  TVMDL primarily employs Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), the gold standard in drug testing, known for its precision, accuracy, and ability to detect trace levels of prohibited substances. This method ensures reliable results by using selective parameters such as drug-specific chromatographic retention time and ion ratios to achieve high specificity.

Livestock show drug testing typically involves two phases: screening and confirmation, both utilizing LC-MS/MS. The initial screening process identifies substances such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, beta-adrenergic agonists, illicit drugs, stimulants, diuretics, and sedatives/tranquilizers. Suspect samples from this phase undergo a confirmatory test, which involves re-extraction and targeted analyte testing specific to the drug class.

If prohibited substances are detected, the affected animals may be disqualified from competition, and exhibitors could face penalties. Positive test results may also be reported to regulatory agencies to support ongoing investigations and improve compliance with animal health standards.

Drug testing at livestock shows not only ensures fair competition but also protects consumer health by reducing the risk of contaminated animal products entering the market. Advanced methods like LC-MS/MS, paired with laboratories like TVMDL that uphold rigorous testing standards, help foster a safer and more ethical environment in youth livestock shows. TVMDL’s drug testing lab takes pride in its state-of-the-art equipment, expert staff, robust quality assurance program, and ISO 17025 accreditation via A2LA, ensuring consistent and reliable testing outcomes.

Livestock show drug testing data , 2019–2024

Carlos Rodriguez, Informatics and Epidemiology Manager

TVMDL serves livestock shows across the country by providing highly sensitive testing for performance-enhancing drugs in a variety of animals. The following is a summary of livestock show drug testing at TVMDL from March 2019 through December 2024.

Between 2019 and 2024, TVMDL tested 16,674 specimens from various livestock show species; this includes cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry, and rabbits. Of these tests, 1,257 (7.5%) were positive for 1 or more drugs. Table 1 shows testing totals for all species, along with the number of positive samples, by specimen type. Tables 2 through 7 show the top drug findings for each livestock species.

To learn more about livestock show testing at TVMDL, and for other information, visit tvmdl.tamu.edu or call 1.888.646.5623.