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Hair and skin, show pig training tips, equipment discussion, what you need to get started
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4-H_Kid07
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HELP

Post by 4-H_Kid07 » Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:02 pm

I have showed swine for a year. I am about to get my new fair pigs in Feburary or March. I was wondering in anyone knows some ways to get your pig more muscular... more built is what I mean. Because last year I got last place for my barrow. I need some more show tips and stuff like that. I got 1st for showmanship last year. But I need more tips becaues I am going up against people who have been showing for a while next year.
~To <strong>WIN </strong>in the Show Ring...You Gotta <strong>WORK </strong>in the Arena~

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KKSHOWPIGS
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Post by KKSHOWPIGS » Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:39 pm

AS far as showmanship goes, pay attention to what the judge says about the way you show and what he likes and dislikes about your pig during the show. Presnetation also plays a huge part in it. KNow the basics of the regristration paper. Be able to judge other showmans pigs on the spot. Be able to answer questions in a quicker manner. Also make sure you and your pig are "one." I spent almost 3 hours a day working with my barrow my last year in 4-H. The judge notices how much you have worked with you animal. I showed in 4-H for 11 years, but started showing when I was 3. 20 now, and I felt I was one of the Top showman in our area. If you would have anymore questions, liek specifics, email me [u:98423ca7ed]kknox@purdue,edu[/u:98423ca7ed] I would be more than happy to help you more. Good Luck! KK
"Winners have simply formed the habit of doing things losers don't like to do”

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grey
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Post by grey » Wed Jan 24, 2007 7:56 pm

What county do you show in? Congratulations on your showmanship!If you want to "build" your pig next year you need to focus on two things, genetics and feed. You can skimp on genetics some and still get an OK finished hog with a high quality feed. You will never get a good finished hog with low quality feed, even if starting with the best genetics. FEED is what you should focus on the most in my opinion.

Talk with several breeders who finish out hogs and have been doing is for a number of years. They will be able to point you in the right direction. Ask them how they have changed their feeds in the last 10 years. If they haven't changed your talking to the wrong ones.

My opinion:

weak genetics + low quality feed = poor hog

weak genetics + high quality feed = OK hog

good genetics + high quality feed = best possible results

wish you the best of luck, ask more questions and learn more.

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ItsDurocTime
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Post by ItsDurocTime » Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:20 am

What I do is I get my dad to act like the judge (sometimes I use a tree) and walk him. My other strategy is to walk him/her to the mailbox and back to her pen a few times.
Yet another strategy, one that the pigs like the most, is to put apple juice on your show stick and let it smell it. It will walk after the stick. An alternative to this is to just kabob the apple on the stick itself.

As for getiing your pig more muscular, try to put him in an elevated pen. For example- put the hog's bed at the top of a hill, and where it eats at the bottom.

Oh, and congrats on the showmanship. Keep on keepin' on!

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eat_sleep_show
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Post by eat_sleep_show » Tue May 27, 2008 10:43 pm

i couldn't agree more with some of the others.
start with the best. genetics are very important! you pretty much get all of your muscle through genetics. and you pretty much need to start out with a pig that is built. all though you can do some things like making them walk up hill for water and such. but you have to start out with a respectable hog to even stand a chance. it doesn't cost anymore to feed a good hog as what it does a average one. but without quallity feed you might as well forget it.

ah, showmanship. well congrats on your first year.
there is soo much that goes into showmanship. walk your pigs often: it pays off. we put cones and weave them between them. it can be quite challanging& fun. you really get an idea for how much controll you have over your pig. oh, have a general idea of pigs in general: parts/ear notches/feeding rations/ like basicly never stop learning about pigs.
watch some of the people that consistantly are toward the top of the class at showmanship. learn form the best and dont' be afraid to ask them questions. you can learn alot from just watching older members.

well bes tof luck

PKB
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Post by PKB » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:16 am

Feed and genetics are both vital when building a good hog. We have three barrows, all currently on 20% with a 40% top dress and 9 grams of paylean (if you don't know much about paylean, this being your second year, talk to someone experienced with show hogs before using it - you have to be careful). Two of them look great and I'm very excited to bring them to fair, but the third must just have terrible genetics. Despite all the protein we have him eating, he grows fat and not much muscle, not to mention his poor structure.
That said, a well-bred hog cannot reach his/her full potential without the right feed. And high protein isn't always the answer - some tightly muscled hogs need to go wayyyy down in protein to avoid injury.

Something I recently heard about (never applied it because I don't have the right place to do it) is training your pig to walk somewhere with hills, or even a hill. Walk it up and down the hill, and you'll not only be training it for showmanship but also building up some muscle.

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