Canfield Fair officials announced on Friday that they will remove all hogs from the fairgrounds before the close of the fair due to concerns over swine flu.

According to a news release, pigs will be taken from the fair grounds on the evening of Thursday, September 1, following the judging and auctions.

Fair officials say they reached the decision was reached after careful consideration and discussions with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the United States Department of Agriculture, the State Veterinarian and the Canfield Fair Veterinarian.

The move comes one day after the Ohio Department of Agriculture said it did not feel there is any reason to restrict or cancel swine shows at the fair, after nearly two dozen pigs tested positive for swine flu at the Ashtabula County Fair over the weekend.

According to the Ashtabula County Agriculture Society, 20 pigs at the fair showed influenza-like symptoms, including runny noses, loss of appetite, lethargic movement and fever. Many of the pigs were sent home. After testing positive for swine flu, the pigs were treated with aspirin to help bring their fevers down.

“While it is unfortunate we cannot host the hogs for the duration of the Fair, we want to honor the time and commitment the junior fair contestants have put in to the raising of these animals, but still keep the health of our fair goers a top priority, ” Bev Fisher, Canfield Fair Manager, said.

Erica Pitchford, communications director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, says the pigs at the Ashtabula County Fair had the H3N2 strain of influenza. She said the strain is very common in pigs and rarely causes symptoms in pigs.

Pitchford says this strain of swine flu is different from the H1N1 strain that caused a big outbreak in 2009.

The Department of Agriculture said the transferring of the H3N2 strain to people is very rare and can be prevented with good sanitation practices such as hand washing after contact with animals, especially before eating or drinking.

The Ashtabula County Agriculture Society says some children who attended the fair also showed similar signs, but no one has been diagnosed with the virus.

Individuals are reminded to consult a healthcare provider if exposed to swine flu or experience flu-like symptoms.

The Canfield Fair is encouraging fair goers to visit its website, canfieldfair.com, for further updates on the situation.