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Atchison County

Swine

Image result for Show swine

Are You Into It? 

In the 4-H swine project you can learn about breeds, health care, production, management, showmanship, marketing and careers.

  • Learn the basic principles of animal science by owning, caring for, and keeping records on one or more head of livestock
  • Gain knowledge of sound breeding, feeding, and management practices
  • Learn nutritive value of swine products and promote their use

Here's What You Can Do All Year! 

Swine

Take Swine Further! 

Here are other opportunities to explore Swine:
 Visit a local feed mill and see how feed ingredients are mixed, weighed and blended to make a complete ration
 Compare feed tags from different companies
 Visit a local meat locker or local grocery meat case to observe preparation and packaging
 Learn how to evaluate meat cuts, quality grade, yield grade and how these affect taste and cost
 Ride with a local veterinarian to learn about animal health
 Attend a swine show to listen to a judge give oral reasons and witness the differences in judging hogs
 Participate in a judging team
 Tour a hog operation
 Research swine by-products
 Is it fair time? Consider showing in your County Fair swine show or the Kansas State Fair.
 Contact your county KSU Extension Office for other local workshops, activities, and events
 Interested in a college education in animal science or veterinary medicine? Schedule a visit with Kansas State University to explore those majors. www.ksu.edu

4-H Grows Here

Project Skill Resources

4-H Market Hog Project

Kansas Ag in the Classroom, Pork-Kids Connection

Clover

KSU Project Page

Identification tags are available from the Extension Office and must be purchased and in market pigs ear             by May 1.

Fair Resources

Aug 4 Judging  in a.m. TBA

Large Animal Exhibit Card

Livestock Record for Beginning Members 

Department M:  Swine

Other Resources

Swine Judging Standards

Step It Up!

Pass it on! Now that you know how, share it with others. Here are ideas to get you started.

Communication

  • Design a poster on parts of the animal
  • Participate in a judging contest giving oral reasons
  • Give a tail docking demonstration

Citizenship

  • Volunteer your baby pig for ag-in-the-classroom at school
  • Participate in a “food-for-life” project donating to food pantries
  • Volunteer to help at the county livestock judging event at the swine station

Leadership

  • Lead other 4-H members in participating in local pork producer events
  • Teach others how to safely handle swine at a FSQA session
  • Lead a swine showmanship and grooming session prior to your county fair

Exhibit Ideas

 Participate in the 4-H swine show
   - Market Hog
   - Pen of three
   - Breeding Gilt
   - Showmanship
   - Derby show
 Consider an exhibit, notebook or display showing what you’ve learned in a swine-related topic
   - Nutritive value of pork
   - Pork meat cuts and proper preparation
   - Feeding rations
   - Importance of reading feed labels
   - Preventative vaccinations
   - Photos of different swine breeds
   - Daily routine in caring for animals
   - Grooming techniques
   - Best care techniques for newborns
   - Hog by-products
   - Impact of local foods on local economy
   - Pros and cons of a farrow to finish operation vs. grower operation
   - Bio-security measures for livestock farmers
   - Research where the pork checkoff dollars are used
   - Selection and how to judge a market hog or breeding gilt
   - How to register an animal with the National Swine Registry
   - Proper exercising techniques for show pigs
   - Caring for pigs in hot weather
   - Appropriate animal handling techniques
- Explain how to read pig ear notches