My daughter is in her second year of 4H and showing pigs. I am trying to get her to train her pig to walk with her head up.
The gilt is a energetic and a little chargey so she often runs off with her trying to catch back up.
Any suggestions and tips on getting a pig to be more up-headed.
Training pig to walk with head up
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- Boar Stud
- Posts: 2048
- Joined: Wed May 05, 2010 7:00 pm
Re: Training pig to walk with head up
bring the feeder up in height
Re: Training pig to walk with head up
Confine your space so that she doesn't run off far...no more than 15 x 15 until you get good control, then take her out. That way you can "catch up" sooner and keep training her. I've seen tap, tap, tapping under the neck until they get it. I've seen following marshmellows on a stick. My 5 wo piglets have been going after marshmellows since 4 weeks and follow them around the pen on a stick....this helps us gets pics when we want them. We also put their waterer up high to make them pick their heads up to drink.
"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start."--I Am Second.
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- Power User
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- Location: Ripley, WV
Re: Training pig to walk with head up
I have to affirm the previous comment. All of our feeders hang at or just above nose level. Our pigs just naturally walk with head up. They are not walking around looking for food on the ground.
Re: Training pig to walk with head up
Walk them in tall grass, taller than the hog. They keep their head up to see better, it seems to slow em down a little too! Good luck!
Re: Training pig to walk with head up
Never thought of tall grass....I can really see that working without working yourself to death.
"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start."--I Am Second.
- IndianaMom
- Showpig Specialist
- Posts: 367
- Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2006 7:00 pm
Re: Training pig to walk with head up
Had to laugh when I read your recommendation to walk in tall grass. We used to do that and it didn't stop the pigs from running. We used to have to chase them down once in awhile with the golf cart. Was thinking about this the other day and we really had a good time doing it. Lots of laughter. Try it.