GEDDES — If it moos, neighs, or clucks, you can find it at the New York State Fair. They’re not the only ones making noise as a variety of other critters make their mark at the annual summertime event.

This year, the fair is equipped with its standard animal-designated buildings and barns, featuring dairy and beef cattle, goats, llamas, horses, poultry, rabbits, sheep, and more.

Competitions for these animals take place throughout the
fair’s duration.

The “newly revived” World of Horses exhibit in the barn near gate 4 allows guests to get up close and personal with a variety of horse breeds brought by different people and organizations, including SUNY Morrisville.

The exhibit is hosted in cooperation with the Madison-County based non-profit organization, SaddleUpNY! to provide training and education to fairgoers, spanning everything from how to keep a horse as a pet, to the knowledge needed for competitions, to what it looks like for horses to engage in police work, and what happens after their racing days are done.

Animal shows are put on daily, including Sea Lion Splash and Hollywood Racing Pigs. The petting zoo tent next to the family fun zone offers goats, zebras, a Scottish cow, Zebus, and a llama that can be hand-fed carrots and grain. In this area, you can also find camel and pony rides, along with an amphibian exhibit. Hawks, owls, and other predatory birds are on display with shows daily by the State Park at the fair. An interactive butterfly exhibit is located inside the horticulture building.

One of the most educational exhibits is the Dairy Cow Birthing Center, where witnesses might get first-hand experience watching a calf come into the world. According to the state fair visitor’s map, births occur every day. The New York Animal Agriculture Coalition is providing this opportunity for the public to learn more about the dairy industry, the care farmers provide their animals, as well as the birthing process. A 24-7 live stream of the Dairy Cow Live Birthing Center is available online, as well. The center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m