A Word About Show Pigs…
By Robyn Glarner

Summertime is just about over and Show Pig selection time is here.  It’s it time to make your contacts with your Show Pig breeders.  The winter show season is just a few short months away and now it the time to start thinking of your new Show Pig prospects.  With the selecting of your project just around the corner, you need to be thinking of what breed you would like to show this year.  Ask different farms what breeds they have to select from.  Be careful of the farms that have every color, shape, and size for they may be concentrating on a wide variety to sell not in providing quality show pigs for your purchase.  The most common breeds available are Yorkshire, Hampshire, Duroc, and Landrace.  These are the four main breeds recognized and registered by the National Swine Registry.  The Spot, Chester White, Berkshire, Peitrain, and Hereford are some of the other pure breeds.  To set the record straight the term Blue Butt does not refer to a breed.  It is the color of a white pig with dark spots or a dark blanket on his hindquarters.  An example would be when you cross breed a Yorkshire with a Hampshire their babies will be “Blue Butts” in color.  There is a lot to be done if you haven’t started getting ready for your project. Pressure wash the whole pen if you can, this will really get the grime out.  Do the wood too because that is where a lot of germs hide.  Clean feed cans, feeders and anything to do with your show pig.  When you get all that stuff clean, then you turn your focus on your next project.  For you “Showman” in the counties that will be showing in the fall, work on your showmanship techniques and monitor the weight of your show pig.  Try to find a certified scale to weigh on so that you will know exactly were you are at with your project.  Now is a good to experiment with clipping your pig, try a ¾ guard and see how you like it. Do not shave your pig bare!  You will be successful if you start to work early.  Look for our upcoming Swine Clinic in next month’s issue.  Take care and God bless.

These thoughts and tips are only suggestions that we have found to be useful and we pass them on to you, hoping that they will aid your show pig project in becoming a success!  If you would like to contact us for further information on any of these topics we have discussed please call Glarner Farms at (863)471-2674. You can also find us on the Web at our new website www.glarnerfarms.com.   We would be glad to be of assistance to you.  Be watching for our next article for more on show pigs!