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4-H Swine Project

The 4-H swine project allows participants to select from a breeding animal or a market animal. Breeding animals enable individuals to start their own herd, while market animals produce meat products for human consumption.

Program Overview

In this project, participants will:

• Learn basic principles of animal science by owning and caring for swine.
• Keep production and financial records on one or more head of livestock.
• Demonstrate knowledge of sound breeding, feeding, and management practices.
• Learn the value of scientific research and its influence on animals and the meat industry.

Program Structure

The program is divided into three levels:

Starting Out (Basic/Level 1)

• Know your swine breeds.
• Select your animal.
• Identify the parts of the animal and cuts of meat.
• Train your hog to drive.
• Feed your animal.
• Learn to show your animal.
• Groom your animal.
• Learn about all the different swine byproducts.
• Determine quality grades of swine.
• Recognize a healthy animal.

Learning More (Intermediate/Level 2)

• Ramp up your judging and meat-grading skills.
• Make ethical decisions.
• Understand the hog's digestive system.
• Identify common external parasites and other health issues.
• Understand medication uses and storage, how to administer it, and how it relates to food safety.
• Learn the appropriate handling techniques and housing for swine.

Expanding Horizons (Advanced/Level 3)

• Learn about EPDs; select a sire for your animals.
• Balance a swine ration and understand feed quality.
• Learn about breeding and reproduction techniques.
• Identify and learn to treat common diseases.
• Evaluate hog carcasses and market your product.
• "Adopt" a younger person and help him/her explore the swine project.

Opportunities to Explore

Participants can engage in various activities, including:

• Learning about PQA certification.
• Visiting a local feed mill to see how feed ingredients are mixed, weighed, and blended to make a complete ration.
• Visiting a local meat locker or local grocery meat case to observe preparation and packaging.
• Learning how to evaluate meat cuts and about quality grade and yield grade, and how these affect taste and cost.
• Comparing feed tags from different companies.
• Riding with a local veterinarian to learn about animal health.
• Attending a livestock show to listen to a judge give oral reasons and witness the differences in judging livestock species.
• Exhibiting at or attending local, regional, state, or national swine shows and conferences.
• Attending livestock camp at North Dakota 4-H Camp.

Exhibit Ideas

Participants can create exhibits, notebooks, or displays showing what they've learned in swine-related topics, such as:

• Nutritive value of swine.
• Hog meat cuts and proper preparation.
• Feeding rations.
• Preventive vaccinations.
• Photos of different swine breeds.
• Daily routine in caring for animals.
• Grooming techniques.
• Developing a foundation swine herd.
• Best care techniques for newborns.
• Swine byproducts.
• Impact of local foods on the local economy.
• Display of feeds or ration contents or analysis.
• How to ear notch.
• Research how pork check-off dollars are used.
• Video on clipping a hog.

Share With Others

Participants can share their knowledge with others through:

Communication

• Teaching someone the important traits in selecting breeding gilts.
• Creating a poster showing the hog cuts and how to prepare them.
• Sharing a presentation on the importance of following drug labels.

Citizenship

• Volunteering to do swine promotion presentations.
• Providing pork taste testing at a grocery store to promote local food.
• Volunteering to help at the county fair weigh-in.

Leadership

• Arranging a tour of your farm.
• Starting a livestock judging team with the help of an adult volunteer.
• Leading a swine grooming and showmanship clinic for other 4-H members.

Entrepreneurship

• Marketing pork products to people in your local area.
• Interviewing agencies about environmental issues.

Resources

Participants can utilize various resources, including:

4-H Resources

• Swine Learning Lab Kit Education Trunk.
• National 4-H Curriculum.
• Educational Video/DVD Check-out.
• 4-H Swine Showmanship Video.

Other Resources

• National Pork Producers Council.
• ND Pork Council.
• Show Pig.
• National Swine Registry.
• NDSU Swine Research.

Recordkeeping

Participants will keep records using:

• 4-H Swine Breeding Project Record.
• 4-H Market Animal Project Record.

Contests

Participants can participate in the State 4-H/FFA Livestock Contest.