Swine Evaluation
and Showmanship
Interest Approach
Todays Plan
Todays plan includes
Top Choice
There are Different Breeds of Pigs?
This Pig Looks Gooooood!
The Big Day
Is this Fair?
Part 1:
Swine Evaluation
Top Choice
Pig Parts
Rump
Loin
Back
Shoulder
Ham
Hock
Elbow Pocket
Jowl
Knee
Dewclaw
Pastern
Hoof (toes)
Body Composition
Body composition
Refers to the muscling and
finish
View pig from behind
The muscles of the ham
region should be long and
thick. The thickest point
should be through the
interior leg
Finish is the amount of fat
over the muscles
1. Depth of ham
2. Width through center of ham
3. Correct turn over the top
4. Width between hind legs
Structural Soundness
Refers to the skeletal structure
of the animal
Look at:
Front feet and legs
Rear feet and legs
Body cavity
Topline
Front Feet and Legs
When looking at the front feet and legs, observe:
Hoofs and legs should be facing the front
Pasterns should have some slope
Avoid protruding knees
Side View of Front Legs
Normal
Weak Pastern
Buck - kneed
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Rear Feet and Legs
When looking at the rear feet and legs:
Observe straightness of legs
Avoid hocks wider than toes
Pasterns should have some slope
Walk the pig to determine soundness
Side View of Rear Legs
Normal
Sickle - Hocked
Post - Legged
Weak Pastern
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Body Cavity and Topline
Body Cavity
The body cavity should be
relatively deep, long (from the
neck to the ham), and wide
Topline
The topline should be level, avoid
pigs with steep sloping shoulders
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Swine Selection
Directions
1. Based on what you learned about swine selection, use the Swine
Selection Student Activity to determine which pig you would choose
for your project.
2. You will have five minutes to complete this activity.
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There are Different Breeds
of Pigs?
Breeds of Swine
Breeds of swine are identified by:
Body shape
Color pattern
Ears
Selecting breeds is important as it can impact the herds:
Rate of gain
Litter size
Meat quality
Other characteristics (i.e., structure and feed efficiency)
Modern producers use one or more of eight major purebred swine
breeds
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Poland China
Identification:
Black body with six white
points
Four white feet
White face
White tail
Drooping ears
Production Characteristics:
Strong sow breeding
characteristics
Produce lean meat and are
heavy muscled
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Berkshire
Identification:
Black body
Four white feet
Splash of white on face and tail
Short, erect ears
Production Characteristics:
Produces high quality pork
Contains excellent color, texture,
marbling, pH, and water holding
capacity
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Hampshire
Identification:
All black body with a white
strip around its midsection
which covers both forelegs
Erect ears
Production Characteristics:
Lean and profitable
Good mothering ability
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Duroc
Identification:
Solid red color
Drooping ears
Production Characteristics:
Rapid growth rate on less
feed
Meat-type body
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Spot
Identification:
Spotted black and white
Droopy ears
Production Characteristics:
Excellent breeders
Efficient feeders
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Chester White
Identification:
Entire body is white
Medium-size ears that droop
over the eyes
Dorsal side is flatter than
other breeds
Production Characteristics:
Highest conception rates
among breeds
Produces quality meat
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Landrace
Identification:
Entire white body, but longer
than Chester White
Contains a longer snout than
the Yorkshire
Large ears that droop over
the eyes
Dorsal side is flatter than
other breeds
Production Characteristics:
Excellent mothering ability
Produces larger litters
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Yorkshire
Identification:
Entire white body
Erect ears
Production Characteristics:
Large-framed, long-body pigs
Can be marketed at a heavier
weight
Known as the Mother Breed
because they produce and
raise large litters
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Breed Identification Catch Phrase
Directions
Break class into pairs
One group member will look at the breed images on the card
and describe the identifying traits
The other group member will determine the breed name and
write it on a piece of paper
You will have 15 seconds for each breed card
We will switch roles upon completion
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Part 2:
Showmanship
This Pig Looks Gooooood!
Exhibiting
Exhibiting an animal at a fair is
the culmination of all the hard
work required to raise swine,
such as:
Providing the correct nutritional
requirements
Maintaining pig health
Maintaining the proper
environment for pigs to grow
Demonstrating animal husbandry
skills
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Preparation
Use the following schedule
and methods to prepare show
swine:
Two months before the show
Brush the pig daily so that the
hair lies naturally
One month before the show
Take the animal for daily walks
Wash your pig twice during this
period
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Preparation, cont.
Two weeks before the show
Trim the hooves
Inspect the feet and trim the hooves if needed. Performing this closer to
the show may not give the pig enough recovery time if the hooves are
trimmed too close. This can result in a lame pig.
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Preparation, cont.
Several days before the show
Clip body hair
Clipping is optional; however, it
may add presentation to your
pig
Clip the hair on the ears and
tail (leaving two inches of hair)
Clip around the eyes, nose and
sides of the mouth
When clipping the body hair,
maintain the required length
(typically 1/4 to 1/2 inches,
depending on the show rules)
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The Big Day
On the day of the show
On the day of the show,
perform the following:
A few hours before the show,
feed your pig about half of the
normal amount of feed
Thoroughly clean the pig by
washing at the wash rack
If it is hot, spray your animal
down using a spray bottle or
watering can, and then brush
the hair down to give it a more
finished appearance
Give the pig a small drink of
water before entering the ring
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Showing
Pig movement
Move your pig calmly
Keep your pig between you
and the judge
Keep the pig 15 to 20 feet from
the judge
Utilize good swine handling
practices
Never use your hands to move
the pig
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Showing
Never use your hands! Instead, tap the pig on the neck,
shoulder, and front leg and the rear hock regions.
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Showman Posture
Keep one eye on the judge
and one eye on the pig
Slightly crouch over the pig
with the show stick or cane
close to the animal
Be prepared to answer
questions from the judges
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Showman Attire
Dress appropriately:
No headwear
Dark blue jeans and a belt,
if loops are present
No shorts
White shirt or blouse
Shoes/boots that provide
protection and comfort
Place a small brush in your
pocket to quickly brush any
dirt/debris if the pig decides
to lay down
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Show Prep Gantt Chart
Directions
Create a Gantt chart illustrating the steps needed to prepare
swine for a show
You will have five minutes to complete this activity
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Is This Fair?
Product Use
All show products that are used
must be carefully considered:
Weigh the pros and cons of each
product
Read, understand, and follow the
manufacturers label
Keep the animals well-being in
mind
Keep in mind withdrawal times of
products
Certain types of pigs may not be
compatible with certain products
Use a feeding program that meets
the pigs nutritional needs
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Show Product Debate
Directions
Divide the class into two groups. One group will be for the use
of show products, and one group will be against their use
Read the article, formulate your arguments, and get ready to
debate
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Summary
In this lesson you, learned
Identify traits and characteristics of quality pigs in order to choose,
raise, and exhibit a pig to its potential
Identify the characteristics of the major breeds of swine
Institute practices and techniques to prepare the pig for show
Establish proper show ring practices to prepare and exhibit the
animal on the day of the show
Debate the use of show products
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