UT Extension Union County hosted its annual 4-H Hog Show on December 13. A total of nine 4-H and FFA members, who have been working hard to raise and train their hogs, participated in the show.
These are not your average backyard pigs. These are lean, mean muscle machines.
As the swine industry has moved towards a lean hog with long loins and heavy muscles, so has the show pig world. These hogs eat a diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, fats and lysine, a necessary amino acid for swine.
Pigs are smart and trainable. The kids of the Union County 4-H work their pigs daily in preparation for the show. The pigs must be in good enough shape to walk for 30 minutes to an hour. In order to be in top shape, they must be exercised daily, often walking up to a mile to stay fit.
UT Extension Union County would like to congratulate all the participants for their hard work.
Placing first in their showmanship classes were Kennedy Hill, Abigail Foust, Trent Jones, Chloe Lloyd, and Neveah Jarnigan.
Breed champions in the breeding gilt classes were Trent Jones’ Duroc Gilt, Savannah Jones’ Yorkshire Gilt, and Kennedy Hill’s crossbreed gilt brought home Grand Champion Breeding Gilt.
Placing first in their weight divisions were Kennedy Hill and Abigail Foust’s market barrows.
Grand Champion Market Hog was awarded to Kennedy Hill’s barrow number 9598.
The hog project had two new members in 2019, Neveah Jarnigan and Garret Bowman. The Union County Hog Show was followed by the Eastern Region Hog show on December 14.
A majority of the young people will travel to the State Swine Show in Murfreesboro January 7-9.
The educational portion of the contest is called “Skillathon,” where the kids learn about swine breeds, feeds, equipment, anatomy, reproduction and medications.
There is a competition to evaluate their knowledge of the swine industry in the form of a test.
In the county contests, placing first in their age divisions were Nevaeh Jarnigan, Chloe Lloyd, Gracie Lloyd, Abigail Foust and Savannah Jones.
Another important note is that these hogs will be for sale for slaughter at the conclusion of our show season. They can be slaughtered and custom dressed to your request. The hogs will be for sale for $1.50 per pound live weight.
This is an excellent opportunity to stock your freezer with fresh, local pork and support youth learning valuable life skills and lessons in livestock projects.
Contact 992-8038 or sdewitt@utk.edu for more information.