How to Improve a Show Pig

Any clean, healthy pig may walk away with ribbons if the competition is lackluster, but in larger shows, only the fittest, best conditioned hogs win ribbons. Show pigs must be clean, well-groomed and properly fed to display the proper amount of muscle to catch the judge's eye. Improving your pigs starts as soon as you get them home and continues right through show day.

Things You'll Need

  • Straw
  • Feed pan
  • Show pig chow
  • Hose
  • Livestock shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Soft brush
  • Livestock clippers
  • Clipper guards
  • Stiff finishing brush
  • Pumice stone
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clean out the pig's pen. Many people see pigs are filthy animals, but they actually enjoy being clean and won't thrive in a muddy, messy pen. Clean out fecal matter and add a layer of straw to one corner of the pen to make a bed for your show pig.

    • 2

      Free feed your pig a show pig feed. Show pigs are judged heavily on their condition, and a high-protein show pig chow is essential for putting weight and muscle on your pig. Fill your pig's pan with chow each morning, refilling as often as necessary. Free-feeding allows for maximum weight gain to improve your show pig.

    • 3

      Groom your show pig weekly to remove dirt and improve the skin. Move the pig to a small grooming chute and wet it with clean water from the hose. Add a line of livestock soap down the pig's back and brush the pig gently with a soft brush. Wash from snout to tail, scrubbing the legs and hooves to get the pig completely clean. Rinse off all the soap and leave the pig in the chute until dry. If the hog is nervous, pour a handful of feed on the ground to keep the pig occupied during grooming.

    • 4

      Clip the pig two or three days before the show to remove excess hair. Attach a 0A guard to your clippers and shave the pig's back, shoulders and hindquarters. Remove the guard and shave the hair as short as possible over the face, chest, belly and inside the ears. The premise behind shaving is to leave the pig looking like it hasn't been clipped, so work slowly and blend the hair to remove obvious clipper lines.

    • 5

      Brush away hair clippings with a stiff brush and run a pumice stone over the pig. Hold the stone in your hand and run it over the hair, moving with the hair growth. The rough edges of the pumice stone pull off split ends and broken hairs, leaving the pig looking smooth and natural. Bathe the pig again just before show time.