No pigs allowed 🚫

Pigs were banned from the 2022 Melbourne Royal Show (September 22 to October 2) in Australia. The reason? Fear of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks.

• But there’s more: (1) there will be no pigs displayed in the children's petting nursery, (2) foot mats will be provided at the entry of the nursery and livestock pavilion, (3) and visitors will be restricted to the back half of the livestock pavilion. 

Show organizers, with the support of veterinarians, made the difficult call because pigs are amplifiers of JEV and represent a higher FMD risk. 

• Concerns are high due to the FMD outbreak in the neighboring country of Indonesia.