Show Pig Dads: We Have to Show Up Differently
When I was growing up, my dad and uncle raised purebred hogs and merchandised boars and gilts to commercial producers just like purebred breeders continue to do in the U.S. beef industry today. My family would market what they felt were the best individuals through shows and sales. I was among the last generation to see the commercial focus of the purebred hog business in U.S. pork production, giving me a different perspective than many of today’s “show dads.”
A few years ago, my firstborn daughter became old enough to show pigs. Initially, I was the “grumpy old man” who fussed about a modern pig show and the pigs exhibited there. Accordingly, we initially had little success. However, we have worked harder, growing and learning together.
Livestock exhibitions were very important in previous generations to identify elite seedstock and establish genetic trends for the entire U.S. industry. In hindsight, some trends were wise, others not. Livestock shows continue to be important today, but for different reasons. Now we use the pigs almost exclusively to show and build our kids.
Youth livestock projects instill confidence, work ethic, responsibility, leadership, knowledge and skills. The pig serves as the showcase of their labor and experiential learning. Students develop life skills through caring for animals, getting to know themselves better, and excelling in their own area of interest. Youth develop leadership skills through these activities by working with others to accomplish goals and sharing what they have learned.
An adequate labor force will be the biggest challenge facing agriculture for the foreseeable future. We need to instill the things into youth we have learned from previous generations, but we can’t be the “grumpy old man.”
We have a captive audience with youth livestock exhibitors. We must continue to cultivate interest in careers in agriculture and commercial food production among youth livestock program participants. We need a workforce with the work ethic and life skills that these youth develop through their projects. Their passion for animals, agriculture and technology will ultimately lead to our improved artificial intelligence for tomorrow’s food production.
The average American is more than two generations removed from production agriculture. Youth livestock shows serve as the average American's window into animal agriculture and as a medium to educate the public on how American animal agriculture feeds the world. Is the average show pig raised like a pig in a modern commercial finishing barn? Not at all.
There are numerous states like Florida, that have extensive youth swine exhibition programs, but little to no commercial pork production. Judges and show leadership need to continue to make shows “about the kids,” but with a focus on educational value and modern industry application of the event if they are to remain relevant.
Chad Carr is a meat scientist at the University of Florida.
More from Farm Journal's PORK:
No, Showing Livestock Isn't Always Supposed to Be Fun
Girl on Fire: Paizlee Hardin’s Return to the Show Ring
‘Girl on Fire’ Sells Pig for $111,000 in Parker County Livestock Auction
