Jodi Sterle Iowa State University

Publish Date: June 15, 2017

This video will describe the tools, equipment and other items that are needed to go to the show.

Publish Date: June 15, 2017

The veterinary feed directive (VFD) is a written statement given to the animal owner by a veterinarian that is similar to a prescription.

Publish Date: June 15, 2017

Youth need to have a veterinary client patient relationship (VCPR). A VCPR is a working relationship with your veterinarian where he or she advises you in deciding what medications are appropriate for your animal.

Publish Date: June 15, 2017

This video provides an overview of preventing heat stress and keeping pigs comfortable at home, during transport to and from the show, and at the show.

Publish Date: June 15, 2017

Helping youth to identify fresh pork cuts. This video includes carcasses labeled with primal cuts and retail cuts.

Publish Date: June 24, 2019

This video gives you a behind the scenes tour of a commercial swine farm and the daily operations that take place. As a young swine producer, it is important to understand the correct terminology and practices that occur out in the industry so that you can be a credible advocate for the industry.

Publish Date: March 15, 2016

Food animal performance and profitability, meat quality, individual safety, family dynamics, and consumer perspectives are all impacted by the way people work livestock on the farm, in transportation or at exhibition. Using proper pig handling and movement practices will not only contribute to good animal care and performance, but will improve pig and human safety and public perception as youth prepare, transport, and exhibit pigs at fairs and shows. Proper pig handling will also improve youth and their family's experience and success in raising a swine project for exhibition.

Publish Date: April 17, 2012

Replacement gilts are essential for maintaining the productivity of the sow breeding herd. Loss of sows from the breeding herd will result from failure to breed, to become pregnant, poor productivity, and structural problems with feet and legs. Producers must plan for current herd specific replacement rates that may average 50%. Managing females to meet replacement needs requires planning for the correct numbers of fertile, mature replacement gilts to breed at the same time as weaned sow groups.

Publish Date: April 17, 2012

Heat detection is the process of identifying which females are receptive to mating. A sexually mature female pig in good health should cycle every 3 weeks if she is not pregnant or lactating. (The estrous cycle of swine lasts approximately 21 days.) On day 1 the female is receptive to mating; ovulation occurs or day 2 to 3.

Publish Date: April 17, 2012

Feeding Level of Gestating Sows

Publish Date: June 3, 2006

Some say ethics is just knowing and doing the right thing. Knowing the difference between right and wrong is easy, but doing the right thing is much more difficult! Building our character traits of caring, trustworthiness, respect, fairness, responsibility, and citizenship helps to make doing the right thing a little easier.

Publish Date: June 3, 2006

In response to packer directives and loss of market access for body clipped or shaved hogs, local, county, and state swine exhibitions throughout the United States have attempted to establish rules and criteria to reduce the problem. No Clipping rules have been met with some resistance. Below is a list of common questions and responses to these questions based on the science and knowledge that is available to the industry.

Publish Date: June 3, 2006

We raise pigs to produce pork for consumers to eat. It is important that pigs exhibited in youth swine shows produce meat that has high eating quality. Muscle color, firmness or wetness and marbling are measurements which help predict the final eating quality of pork. The carcass traits of leanness and muscling and the presence of the stress gene can impact the eating quality of pork. These traits are often seen at a higher, or more extreme level, in show pigs.

Publish Date: June 3, 2006

The commercial swine industry is focused on producing high quality, wholesome and reasonably priced pork products for consumers. In the show pig industry, pigs are managed to achieve high placing in the show ring. Some practices that help animals do well in the show ring may be undesirable in the commercial swine industry. It is important that practices in the show pig industry do not result in negative consequences for shows or for the commercial industry.

Publish Date: June 3, 2006

This fact sheet is for training youth interested in swine selection practices. Improving efficiency of production is extremely important to the livestock industry. In order to increase pork production efficiency, we must use the most accurate inputs possible to make economically sound decisions. We make the fastest genetic improvement utilizing performance records and Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs).