Show Pigs in Trouble
Well, this has not been the best year for show animal projects. Kyla’s market goat, Coco, broke her ankle the first week she came to our farm. This set her back 6 weeks. Unfortunately, she does not act as good as she should when Kyla works with her and some muscular structure atrophied during her recovery period. She just does not look as good as she should.
Just last week I told you about our two show pigs, Oreo and Fred. My children have fed them as much as they would eat since they brought them home in March. They go out to the pig pens and spray them down several times a day. They walk them around the yard with their show sticks for conditioning as well as to get them ready for the show ring. Kyla and Jake have put their hearts into their market swine projects.
We loaded the pigs up in a trailer Saturday and drove them to a neighbor’s facility that has an accurate scale. We hooked up the scale, checked it with our own weights, and made sure that the scale was at zero before luring a pig onto it. As soon as I saw the weight, my heart sunk. We backed the pig out, which sounds easier than it actually is, and weighed the second pig. The results were no better; in fact, they were worse.
We felt like we got kicked in the stomach. With three weeks before check-in, it looks nearly impossible that either of our pigs will make the mandatory weight. Market swine at Grimes County have to weigh between 230-270 pounds to be allowed to be shown. Oreo is our heaviest pig. He needs to gain 75 pounds. As impossible as this sounds,there is little hope for Fred.
The drought and early high temperatures have really hurt the pigs. They just will not eat like they are supposed to. Market swine are supposed to be fed seven pounds a day, which converts to a two pound daily gain. We know professional pig farmers who are having a really hard time keeping their pigs at the correct weight. So, I guess we should not feel so bad.
We do not have the facilities that they do. They have fans and misters, which constant spray the pigs with cool water. Some even have air-conditioned facilities. Believe it or not, pigs start becoming stressed at 75 to 80 degrees.
So we find ourselves in a pickle. My children have invested their own money in buying these show quality pigs. They have worked so hard, and are facing not only not getting to show their swine, but losing their butts in the process.
Fortunately we are getting a lot of advice from fellow swine raisers, ag teachers, and others. My children have not given up hope; although, they realize the odds are against them. We have prayed throughout their project that their hogs would stay healthy, which they have. Now we have added gaining weight like crazy to our request.
I know that there are so many bad things going on in the world like wars, floods, droughts, etc. It might seem silly to some to ask for prayers for our pigs. We need them to gain enough weight to make the show. Since “with God all things are possible,” it doesn’t seem to hurt to ask (Matthew 19:26). In order for Kyla and Jake to get to show Oreo and Fred, it will take hard work and divine intervention. I will let you know how it goes.
I feel for you, Lara, because I understand how much effort, time, and dedication goes into these show animals. It is the same for my boys in rodeo. Not too long ago, one son had to switch horses 3 times during a single day of roping in the Jackson County Youth Rodeo in Edna because 1)When he woke up and went out to feed his best horse, which he intended to use, was limping. So he went to 2) His fallback horse, which started limping half way through his heeling event. Then he 3)had to ride a starved roping horse we were fattening up and who we really just brought to get used to the noise, so …..you get the idea! It wasn’t a winning day for the poor guy…
In any event we try to stress to the boys well ahead of time that it is up to the Lord whether or not they win. He sees how much everyone prepares and gives everyone a chance to win as He sees fit. Maybe He let one boy win because He knew that boy needed encouragement.Maybe someone practiced more. Maybe He let someone else win because it was their turn to win. Maybe when He lets a boy lose, it is because He wants to teach him something. Maybe He wants that boy to understand that in this world some things just won’t go his way, and he’s just got to trust that God has a good reason for it. And that boy needs to be still and quiet and just know that there’s a bigger plan. And that boy needs to pick himself up out of thinking what might have been and set his eyes on next time. I hope and pray with you that things will improve, but think of the life lesson if things don’t, and as we often must, plan a special celebration with a big cake and call it a Did Your Best party. Celebrate simply that they did their best, and if they did, they met their goal. That is, after all, the life we lead as Christians, ever reaching forward for the prize of perfection and ever falling short. Happily, God asks us to simply do the best we can and when we do, that is good enough for Him!
(Sorry to preach, but I’m passionate about raising my boys to be Godly men)
Adrienne,
When you are as passionate as you are, feel free to “preach” here anytime. Jake knows that his hog is not going to make the show. He needs probably three more weeks to reach market weight. Kyla’s is so close; it is almost painful to watch. However, she has not given up hope. At the same time she is aware of the possbility of not getting to show Oreo. The whole experience is certainly a learning one.
Thank you for your comment.
Lara