4-H project

[terri9630]

My daughters want to try pigs for 4-H this year. The only thing I know about pigs is they eat, drink, and taste good. I only know one person who shows pigs and she "won't divulge her trade secrets". I need help!

What do they eat?
How much do they eat?
How big of a pen do they need?
We are in the desert, how well do they handle heat and our day/night temp fluctuations?
There are probably a hundred other things I'm not thinking of, any suggestions/recommendations?

 

[sevenmile]

There has to be some other 4H people around. Who do you sign up with? Who do you pay the dues to? The local extension service? They would know of people. The 4H organization has all kinds of publications available. Use GOOGLE. Showpig.com. NJSA.

4H is all about the kids -- someone who won't "share their secrets" is screwed up, and probably doesn't really know what they are doing. I am always willing to show kids exactly what to do -- actually executing the plan, well, that is up to them to pull off successfully.

When is your show? When is first weigh in?

 

[terri9630]

4-H USED to be about the kids. I'm finding that around here, in some catagories you have to spend big to compete. When I was a kid we never paid much for our 4-H steers. Last year the steer that won Grand was bought for 5grand. No way the kid ever got any money out of that and didn't learn a thing about the business end of ranching.

Our show is the last week in Sept. I don't know about the weigh in yet. I've met one family that is willing to teach us.

I'll try out the showpigs.com
Thanks

 

[jhm47]

Trouble is that each state seems to have different rules, regulations and classes. When our kids were in 4 - H, we showed a lot of market hogs, and did very well both at county and state level. We bought feeder pigs from a neighbor who raised thousands of hogs. He also had children who showed in the same classes as our kids.

Are your kids planning to show market hogs or breeding hogs? They need to decide on that before anything else.

 

[terri9630]

Only market hogs here.

 

[sevenmile]

Glad you found someone.

Last week of September -- so you will want pigs that are around 6 months old at fair time.

Feed good feed!