Getting Started

1. Getting Started “The ribbons are going to fade and the trophies will tarnish. We need to remember that it’s family time and teaching the life skills of responsibility, communication and good sportsmanship- that’s the real reason we do it.” Grant Grebner Stolen from September issue of Seedstock Edge magazine Think about from day one who all you will be inviting to watch you show. We all have a support team. Family, Friends, Teachers maybe even Pastors and Community Leaders. You invite them to come out and support all of your hard work and dedication you and your family will commit to this project. Think about this from day one so you understand that your commitment from day 1 to the day of the show maintains a focus that is required and effort worthy of those you invited praise. Nothing worse than looking people in the eye and thanking them for coming out knowing you did not give your very best. It is easy to give your best the first and last 20 days of a feeding period. The middle is where you have to stay focused and push yourself. Good Luck, Hunter Morgan

2. Selection= 1.Start at ground up 2.Balance3. Evaluate total package. Identify areas and concern and ask yourself: Can I fix that with feed or with a show stick? Biggest mistake is buying early muscle and not buying structure. Figure 10. From left to right: a pig with the correct angle to the shoulder, knee and pastern; a straight-shouldered pig that is over at the knee and straight-pasterned; and a pig with excessive slope in the shoulder that is set to far back at the knee and is weak-pasterned .(National Hog Farmer Magazine, 2009a) Figure 3. From left to right: a heavily muscled pig, a well-muscled pig, and a very light-muscled pig.(University of Florida) Figure 13. From left to right: a gilt that is too straight in the knee and hock with a rigid spine; a short-hipped, straight-hocked gilt that appears too heavily muscled; a gilt broken in her top line affecting how she matches the ideal; and a straight -shouldered gilt that is over at the knee.(National Swine Registry) Figure 11. From left to right: a pig with the correct set to the hip, hock and pastern; a pig that is very straight from the hock to the pastern; and a pig that has excess set to the hock and is weak-pasterned.(National Hog Farmer Magazine, 2009a

3. Daily Care Skin Care Pigs loved to be brushed everyday. I prefer products like champions choice to be sprayed on them to help keep their hair and skin in the best of shape. Time spent brushing the animal will help with the bond and the trust the pig will have with the owner. This will pay big dividends when you take the pig out of the pen and training the pig to drive. I recommend brushing the head and face everyday as well as that will help the pig when you need to clip their face closer to show. Spraying champions choice on the pigs hoofs and pads of their feet will also help keep moisture in their feet and keep them from cracking as often. If you are showing a white OPB you might choose a product that is not oiled based to prevent darkining any possiable skin pigment that arrises. Sanitation Pig pens need to be cleaned out everyday. Best if manure is pulled from the shaving(or other bedding) twice a day. Clean dry shaving will help minimize skin and health issues. Mange is a real issue in most barn and dirty pens will increase the likely hood that you will be dealing with this skin condition. Once a week the pen should be totally sanitized. All shaving removed and you should use bleach on the floor. I would wipe down the water and feed bowls as well as the bars in the pen with the bleach. Sand pens this process is not applicable.

4. Worming Pigs in our part of the world get a whole lot of exposure to parasites internally and externally. I recommend during the feeding period you worm every 21 days to make sure the pig is free from parasites. Parasites internally and externally rob your pig from reaching their genetic potential. I would set your calandar from day one, and make sure you stick to it. We always inject ivermectin upon receiving pigs, and follow up 15 days later with safeguard for three days. Then we move to a 21 day wormer rotation cycle from start to finish for the feeding period. Many will say it is overkill but parasites will potentially have a drematic effect on your projects outcome in the event they become and issue. This way issue resolved, and you can focue on meeting their other needs. Common products used to worm pigs are: Atgaurd wormer, Safegaurd Paste, and Ivermectin Paste. Both paste products should be given over three days to increase their effectiveness. Atgaurd directions are on package and are effective with one day treatment.

5. Feeding Consistancy= Every day the pigs need to be fed at the same time. They are creatures of habit and this helps them eat more effectively. Pigs should never be fed in the summer after 9AM in the morning. By 9Am it is starting to get to hot. They do best when fed in the early morning hours preferable prior to 7Am. They should be fed approximately 12 hours apart. Every feeding pigs should be monitored to make sure they eat aggressively and to note any changes to eating habits. This means you stay and watch them eat. Good time to clean pen and brush pig. Feed Adjustment= What works great at 25 pounds will not work at 250 pounds. Adjustment can usualy be planned but sometimes they can not be. When soundness issues come into question you have to make adjustments and they should be immediate. Do not wait to finish old feed make the adjustments immediately. Generality of Pig Feeding= As Pig Gets Bigger Feed quantity as well as Feeder and Water Height all= Go Up  Protein= Go Down Heavy Muscle Pigs Lower the Protein Raise the Protein Light Muscle Pigs

6. Showmanship Exhibitor Look= The showman should look like this show is important to them. They need to be dressed for success. Cloths pressed, hair combed, and nothing distracting. Girls be cautious of jewelry on wrist and hair that is not pulled up. Cloths should be barn appropriate. Revealing clothing is a giant no in showpigs so do not do it! Judge Pig Exhibitor You would not make a Ham sandwich any other way so do not show your pig any other way. Never get between the judge and the pig. Blocking his view cost him time and increases his effort. Hitting the Arena= When you first come out it is real big to set the tone for the show. Give the judge all three views. Front , profile and from behind. Do your homework and know which angle is your best and which one is your worst. Make sure you plan your timing to reflect that. Give the judge only a glimpse of your worst angle and then help the judge focus on what are the best aspects of your pig. Placing= Watching the first class is always big. Knowing how the show will operate and how placing will happen is a big part of your show strategy. Judges place from bottom to top the most often. Not Always! When placing from bottom to top exhibitor might choose to do big circles around the arena. Close to the final placing of the class they may transition to the center and figure eight. Mange you pigs legs and do not over drive when judge is not looking. Judge ON All Times!

7. Soundness Often we talk about pigs should be square to the ground, out on all four corners, correct to the ground. Genetics plays a giant role in soundness and most structural issue raise their head at selection, but not always. When these lines start to get out of their comfort zone problems start to occur. Placement of feet and legs are critical in finishing well. So what do you do to manage one that is already on feed when you notice that they are getting out of the comfortable foot placement. Inside or outside their skeleton. I feel this is when you have to really analyze what is causing the poor placement. Sometimes excessive muscling can cause and animal to get out of their comfort zone. This effect can be minimized by reducing muscle. Lower protein and lysine levels can help reduce muscle. Often times as we paylean in the end of the feeding period and increase lean tissue development we see this occur. This is when you need to make adjustments immediately as you are getting close to going too far. Often you see pigs get inside their skeleton and it can be from lack of muscling and can be from hoof size. Often you will see pigs coming inside their skeleton by walking on their outside toe instead of planting them evenly. Hoof trimming can be effective but needs to be done by a trained veterinarian professional. Acrylic hoofs are the reason for the black mats at the major shows so tread on this ground carefully as it can be against show rules. You should check with show officials prior to considering such practices. But feed can also play a role in pigs inside their skeleton as well. Gaining weight rapidly puts excess stress on the hocks that are most effected by placing the foot inside their comfort zone. Reducing gain can help salvage the project prior to hock being blown out. That is when you evaluate the minimum weight limits and days till show and then set a diet that has enough lysine to maintain shape yet gain only the amount needed to make weight. We have salvaged a many project by targeting light weights due to their foot placement being off. Average and above average daily gains on poorly constructed skeletons usually ends in disaster. If the game changes on you, the ones who salvage the projects are the ones who make the right adjustments.

8. Plan your Weights • Always record your weight in the same place. Tracking daily gain is critical to peak at the right time, to adhere to show required weights, and to save your skeleton. This chart sometimes will create clues to other symptoms like poor feed efficiency indicating other concerns such as parasites. • Weight Management. Weight management will prevent harsh holds that will compromise pigs freshness and over all appearance from muscle to external fat thickness, certainly the rib shape. Harsh holds are rarely effective in pig fitting. • Start with pig correct age. Pigs genetically have the ability to grow at various weights. The old days of feeding 7 and 8 month old pigs requires extreme fitting to peak at show and is not and ideal scenario. Few feeders can do this consistently. Ideally pigs are 6 months of age at show. This will allow you to grow at comfortable weight gain with out a lot of true feed fitting to peak at show. Rough Weight Gauges • 30 days to show less than 200 • 60 days till show less than 140 • 90 days till show less than 100