I have been asked to talk with you about the "substance abuse" program we have in Houston. We have had a variety of experiences with this program, and before getting into the system we now have in place, I would like to take a few minutes to give you a little of our background in dealing with "drugs."

In our early years we...as most shows did...established pre-set weight breaks in our market animal shows: steers, lambs, and barrows. Exhibitors, in their attempt to show an animal at the top weight of a class, were using Lasix to draw an animal before show.

In 1980 and 1981, we tested hogs for Lasix. This testing program was carried out by Dr. T. D. Tanksley, the head of the Swine Production Program at Texas A&M University. We had our rule in place that animals would be disqualified if a diuretic was found in the urine. In 1981 we disqualified one pig.

In 1982, we made several changes in our market shows to control the use of a diuretic. These were:

1. We used a minimum weight and no upper weight, and broke the three (3) classes (light, medium and heavy) after animals arrived and weighed in, each class had the same number of animals and there were no pre-published weight breaks.

2. We then established a weigh-back rule, weighing all placing animals after showing and allowing 5 percent over the original weight in steers; allowing a 5-pound over or under change in lambs, and a 10-pound increase in hog weights.

When these rules were in place, we stopped testing.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo did not test for substance abuse again until 1990. During the period from 1981 to 1990 there was much concern building nation-wide, and particularly in Texas, about the use of unapproved drugs, cosmetic fitting and other unacceptable methods in preparing show animals.

Agricultural Science Teachers, County Extension Agents and all livestock show managers were very concerned, and any conversation regarding shows led to discussion of these problems and how the use of drugs could be controlled.

A few of the cosmetic fitting happenings were very interesting. For many years we had a rule that all temporary central incisors must be in place in steers. We would mouth every steer as they were weighed in at the Show. Rumors were rampant for years about how the permanent teeth could be killed below the gum...keeping it from pushing the baby tooth out. Then it was rumored that our Grand Champion steer had his baby teeth wired in below the jaw. We ended up getting an x-ray machine and technician to x-ray the jaws of steers.

We did this for two years with no results. We then cleaned the jaw bones on two steers, and had them inspected by a team of veterinarians...no results.

We disqualified a Grand Champion steer in Houston in 1983 that had sold to Red Adair for $150,000. The disqualification took place after the steer was sold. The grandfather of the exhibitor called and informed me that he had seen his grandson with a bicycle pump pumping air under the steer’s skin. He was adamant that he be disqualified. After investigating the situation, we found the steer had been cared for by a veterinarian in Oklahoma for several weeks during the feeding period.

The steer was disqualified for this reason because we could not prove he had been aired. A group of us met at the meats lab at Texas A&M University when the steer was killed. There was no way to tell whether the steer had been aired or not.

I point these things out because altering animals, use of drugs and artificial cosmetics have been around for years. Several generations of youth exhibitors have exhibited livestock with the use of tranquilizers, diuretics and other unapproved drugs with no one being overly concerned. As a result, exhibitors, parents, leaders, teachers and agents developed a lackadaisical attitude.

The only way to combat this attitude is with education, regulations and punishment.

In 1989, a small group of veterinarians offered to test livestock for unapproved substance use in the San Antonio Livestock Exposition. Much to their credit, the management and leaders of the San Antonio Livestock Exhibition agreed to this. The results indicated some drug usage.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo followed this lead and decided to go all out in an attempt to stop the drug usage. In 1990, we developed strong rules regarding the use of drugs, and developed a committee of veterinarians willing to give their time and energies to assist us with this drug abuse program.

The Texas Diagnostic Lab at Texas A&M University was contacted, and they agreed to work with us in this program. Our attorneys were contacted to help develop the rules. A quick synopsis of the first drug program system is as follows:

1. We advertised and notified all agriculture teachers, county agents and others of the start of this program.

2. We developed a drug certification form in which the parent and/or teacher, agent and exhibitor signed and had a notarized statement verifying that the animal had not received unauthorized drugs and was not under a withdrawal period for any medication or drugs, either approved or unapproved, at the time the animal was weighed in at the show.

3. At the time of judging the animals were taken to a special location where the veterinarians were on hand to collect urine samples. These samples were taken from each first and second place animals in each weight class of each specie as well as a few at random selections.

4. The urine sample was sealed, signed off on a prepared form and placed on ice. After collection, these samples were taken to our official veterinarians’ building and split into two. Both were resealed. One sample was taken to our freezer, and the other was delivered that night to the diagnostic lab at the Texas A&M University.

Most of you have probably already caught the mistake we made that year. The split sample being taken out of sight of the exhibitor placed us in a position of being questioned about a secure chain of evidence.

The first year, 1990, one steer was disqualified for the use of a tranquilizer. The exhibitor’s father had administered the drug.

In 1991, one steer, two lambs and two barrows were disqualified for illegal substance abuse. One of the lamb exhibitors filed suit on the show, alleging sabotage and then disputing the validity of the collecting and testing procedures. This lawsuit is still pending after a venue change and four years of depositions and several thousand dollars in attorneys’ fees.

In 1992, 1993 and 1994, no drugs were found in animals. In 1995, five animals were disqualified from Houston: three barrows, one steer and one lamb ... and, the lamb was discovered to have clenbuterol by the FDA lab. The FDA notified us prior to the show that they would be testing for clenbuterol.

It appears that the first two years of operation halted the drug usage for a while.

Following are some thoughts on preparing to start a Drug Testing Program:

1. Publicize the fact in any way possible that you are going to test for drugs: Premium List Rules, agriculture publications, contact with agriculture Teachers and county agents, etc.

2. Have a veterinarian committee or a veterinarian on contract to handle the collection of urine.

3. Be prepared to securely store samples in refrigerators and/or freezers.

4. Develop a procedure that provides a positive identification of samples, and handle them in a manner to assure an unbroken chain of evidence.

5. Have in place a way to transport the collected testing samples to the diagnostic lab, preferably by a creditable individual.

6. Have a ready source of necessary supplies. (Our veterinarians handle this for us.)

7. Supplies needed:

a. Urine specimen cups

b. Blood collection tubes (vacutainers)

c. Blood collection needles

d. Sample identification tags

e. Evidence tape for sealing containers

f. Urine catching sticks

g. Proper forms for signatures

h. Styrofoam boxes with ice to maintain samples while collecting

i. Materials to secure the box to hold and lock Styrofoam containers.

Procedures for collection:

1. Designate an area for collection adjacent to the judging ring.

2. Veterinarians set-up and be ready prior to judging.

3. Move the animals to the collection area after class placing. Do not allow them to leave the judging ring.

4. Collect urine and split sample both with the exhibitor and parent and/or CEA or AST.

5. After sealing each sample with evidence tape, identify the container with the entry number of the animal and have the exhibitor sign each sample.

6. Have the exhibitor and parent and/or CEA or AST sign the Collection Record Sheet.

7. Release the animal to the exhibitor.

8. Place one sample in each of the two Styrofoam boxes on ice inside the storage box. Lock the storage box between sample collections.

9. After the days’ collections, take one box to the freezer area and place the samples in the freezer in the company of a creditable witness. Lock freezer. The second box should be delivered to the individual who will deliver the samples to the lab for diagnosis.

What do you do when the outcome of tests are positive? It is very important to maintain tight security on the results of the drug test until all positive reactors are re-tested by another highly creditable lab to confirm the positives.

Our present method of operation is to not discuss the test results with anyone until the parents of the exhibitor have been personally contacted regarding the positive reactors. Also, it is wise to give your attorney as much information as possible about these tests. It is advisable to not give the names of anyone being disqualified to the press or make it known to the public. In the case of clenbuterol, the F.D.A. notifies the show by mail.

Continue to develop new and improved testing methods. The clenbuterol test being used by F.D.A. should be made available to the animal diagnostic laboratories so that private testing can be done.

New blood serum tests should be developed to make testing easier and more exacting.

One of the more interesting projects in the planning stages at this time is a study to determine physical alterations in the steers using ultrasound technology. It is felt that a number of exhibitors are altering the conformation of their steers through the injection of air, oil and/or other substances either under the skin or into the muscle. There is theory that with ultrasound it will be possible to detect air or other illegally injected substances under the hide of the animal. The study being done will involve four steers: (1) a well-known steer jock; (2) an ultrasound consultant from New York; (3) the Texas Diagnostic Lab in College Station, Texas; (4) several animal scientists at Texas A&M University as well as several ASTs and CEAs.

The method is simple. The steer jock will demonstrate his skills airing and oiling steers over a period of time, and the Animal Ultrasounds Service, Inc. will be on hand to demonstrate and teach the use of the ultrasound for detection.

Should this prove to be a foolproof, reliable system, the livestock show industry will then have the basis to disqualify these exhibitors.

By the way ... in 1993 the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the San Antonio Livestock Exhibition started requiring all halter steers to have their hair clipped to one-quarter inch in length before arriving at the shows. This not only eliminates artificial hair, coloring, tailheads, etc., but it also eliminates clippers and trim chutes.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the San Antonio Livestock Exposition and Texas A&M University are cooperating in this project.

In closing, I would say it appears that, as in most cases of criminal or illegal activity, new laws must come into being. The states of Colorado, Ohio and Oklahoma have all passed laws through the legislative process. These laws make it a felony offense to tamper with livestock in almost any manner. I feel that other states will soon follow suit.

The basic fault in our system today lies in the hands of approximately 25% of the youth exhibitors who are influenced almost totally by parents, teachers, agents and leaders. Somehow the responsibility to change from the attitude that "win at all costs" to "may the best animal win" must be instilled in the minds of these people.