Grand Champion Swine Winner Shares Her Knowledge with Fellow 4-H Members

As the North Florida Livestock Show and Sale exhibitors begin their search for their project, Taylor County 4-H Member Liz Newman prepared a tip sheet to educate her club on how to select a prospect for show. The North Florida Livestock show, and sale is slated for February 21-24, 2021. Now is a good time to begin looking for your prospect and begin prepping the pen. Liz’s easy-to-read guide for selecting your show prospect is a great tool to use as a guide for your selection. Having a senior 4-H member share their content knowledge with her peers embodies the meaning of 4-H. She definitely is pointing her hands to larger service for her club members as she helps them become successful in the livestock arena.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW & DO WHEN SELECTING YOUR SHOW PROSPECT

Authored by: Liz Newman, Senior 4-H Member of UF/IFAS Extension Taylor County

KNOW YOUR BREEDER

• • Establish a good relationship with them. Be able to go to them with any questions you may have. NO question is a bad or dumb question

UNDERSTAND AND KNOW VACCINATION PROTOCOLS

• MAKE SURE your show pig(s) have been dewormed and vaccinated for the following BY the date of purchase: Bordetella, Mycoplasma, & Circovirus.

• Ask for the date the pig was last de-wormed, keep accurate records, and establish a MONTHLY routine for de-worming. Safe-Guard pellet or Sunglo Clean Out are the best options. On DIRT GIVE 1 PALM FULL, once a day for 7 days & do it ONCE A MONTH. ON CONCRETE GIVE 1 PALM FULL, once a day for 5 DAYS & do it ONCE A MONTH. Increase dosage slightly as they get heavier. Safeguard has NO WITHDRAWAL PERIOD, so therefore you may worm your pigs during the month of February. Pigs look their best and consume better when they’re healthy!

• YES, ivermectin (overmix) can be given to pigs, however, it only really cures lice and mites on their skin, not gastrointestinal worms, or lungworms. When you notice lice/mites give them a shot of the correct dosage behind the ear (1cc per 75 pounds), then 10 days later administer another so that it will kill any eggs that the adults may have left behind. DO NOT GIVE AN INJECTION IN ANY MUSCLE THAT WILL BE A CUT OF MEAT.

 

• SELECTION
  • Structural soundness IS and WILL ALWAYS be the most important thing to look for when selecting a 50-75 pound prospect. If the structure is sloppy at 50 pounds, imagine how sloppy it will be at 250+ pounds. The ‘Extras’ will come with good feed and time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• SELECTION CONTINUED
  • Look and Proportion

 

 

• • The pig should have “the look” but also have the structural correctness to back it up. STRUCTURE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

• WIDTH WHILE STAYING CORRECT

 

 

 

• • You want the pig to have width in the front and back, but you don’t want it so wide that it steps outside of its skeleton or just looks uncomfortable and incorrect. You will be able to tell in its movement when it is too wide. It will just look sloppy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AGE

• • Age plays a huge role in your pig’s maturity, consumption rate, and end weight. You want to go in the NFLSS with a 6 and a half to 7-month-old pig.
  • NO older than July 19s and NO younger than August 16s.

• DO NOT A BUY A PIG FROM A BREEDER THAT IS ANY YOUNGER THAN 9 WEEKS OLD!!!

• Do NOT hesitate to ask the age of the pigs you are looking at. A responsible breeder will be able to tell you.

Happy Selecting!