It’s that time of the year. You have spent hours searching, traveling, and bidding on show pigs in the hopes of finding “The One” and now your set is in your barn, and the real fun begins.

You want to give your new show projects the best chance to succeed you can. We sat down with Travis Platt of Platt Showpigs to get his top 10 tips on what to do when you get your new show pigs home. Read below to set yourself up for success this show season!

1. KEEP AN EYE ON THEM.

This is number one on the list because it is arguably the most important. The first couple of days are crucial to setting your pigs up for success. Keep a close eye on them. Make sure your pigs are eating well and drinking plenty of water. Check to make sure they are moving around, getting used to their new surroundings, and settling in comfortably.

2. PAY ATTENTION TO HEALTH.

Starting with healthy pigs is a good way to make sure you end with healthy pigs. Pay attention to any signs your pig may be off. This can include things like coughing, sleeping all day, drooping ears, and not eating or drinking. If you suspect your pigs are not feeling their best, consult with your local veterinarian or your pig’s breeder. Both will be able to offer insight into what could be going on with your pigs.

It is also a good practice to have some common medications on hand so you can give your pigs shots if needed. Some recommendations are Penicillin, Exceed, Baytril, Dexamethasone, Banamin, and Linco. These are good medications to have in your barn for anything your pig may need!

Another useful thing that helps aid in your pig’s health is a medicator. If you can, a medicator can help keep your pigs healthy year-round. You can run things like Pulmotil or amoxicillin through your water so you do not have to worry about giving shots. Medicators are also good for running electrolytes through your entire barn.

Here are some links to medicators we recommend:

Hog Slat Medicator
Aquablend Medicator

3. ISOLATE NEW BABIES IF POSSIBLE.

If you can, isolate new babies before putting them in your barn with the rest of your show pigs. Isolation, even for a day or two, can help you catch any signs of sickness before bringing them around your other showpigs.

If you can not completely isolate, put a pen in between your new pigs and your existing pigs.

4. GET THEM ADJUSTED.

Get your pigs used to you. Sit in their pens with them, start using a brush on them, and get them gentle and tame. This will help you later on down the road when you start training them to drive.

5. KEEP YOUR PENS CLEAN.

This one is simple. Pigs need clean pens to stay healthy. They need clean pens to keep their skin and hair looking its best. You don’t have to clean the pens every day, but you can spot clean once a day to make sure pens stay dry and fresh.

6. START KEEPING AN EYE ON STRUCTURE.

After a few weeks of adjusting, you can start looking at the changes in your show pigs. Start looking at how they are developing and growing. Keep an eye on structural changes and consult with your parents, breeder, or feeder on how they are growing and what changes you need to make.

7. WATCH THEIR COMPOSITION AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.

This goes hand-in-hand with keeping an eye on their structure. Watch closely how your show pigs are filling out. Are they looking too skinny? Are they gaining too much muscle too quickly? Make note of these changes early on and adjust their feed accordingly.

8. START WASHING YOUR PIGS

Get your pigs used to the wash pens early. Get them used to the routine of washing and make sure you are keeping your pigs clean!

9. BEGIN WORKING ON SKIN AND HAIR.

Start with good skin and hair! It is as important in the show ring now as it has ever been. Start by brushing your pigs in their pens every day after washing them. Use a hard bristle brush to get the dead skin off, and follow that with a skin conditioner. Repeat that every day, and your pig’s skin and hair are sure to be on point when you hit the show ring for the first time!

10. START BREAKING YOUR PIGS TO DRIVE – THE EARLIER THE BETTER.

Finally, it is time to start working on breaking our new show pigs to drive. The earlier you can start breaking pigs, the better. Start small by getting them out of their pens and used to the whip. Once you can guide them with the whip and keep them moving at a steady pace, start working on getting them to walk with their head up. If needed, utilize two whips to teach them and then move to work with one whip. You can also use the buddy system by walking two pigs at the same time if you have someone to help you. This will keep your pigs calm because they have a friend.

Following these tips will give you the best chance possible to CRUSH your goals! Start strong, work hard, keep going. It is going to be an incredible year to show pigs, and the Showpig team wishes you the best of luck with your projects!