Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
5/7/01
Contacts:
Roger Brummett, Taylor County Extension, (712) 523-2137,
rbrum@iastate.edu
Dennis Kent, Lauren Christian Swine Research and
Demonstration Farm, (712) 243-2729, dkent@iastate.edu
Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4496,
shoyer@iastate.edu
Southwest Iowa 4-H Swine Project Members Benefit from Pilot Program
Atlantic, IA -- Thirty 4-H members from five southwest Iowa counties are the first to benefit from a pilot program using pigs from the Lauren Christian Swine Research and Demonstration Farm at Atlantic. One of the program organizers, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension livestock specialist Roger Brummett, said there were two goals for the program that began earlier this year, and both were met.
"First, we wanted to boost the pig numbers in counties with fewer pigs, and second, we wanted to help provide a way for kids to find pigs for their project," Brummett said. "There are fewer sources of pigs today, and many of the youths in the swine project are not from a farm and need to find a source of pigs."
Here's how the program worked. After organizational meetings among several entities, the group decided to allow each first-year 4-H swine participant (and older members having difficulty sourcing pigs) in southwest Iowa to purchase up to six animals each. Two hundred nine pigs were weaned on March 5, and 150 of those were vaccinated for pseudorabies on March 26, weighed on March 30 and sold to their new owners on March 31. Pigs were priced at the current feeder pig price as of March 30. Counties with 4-H members involved were Adams, East Pottawattamie, Fremont, Harrison and Mills.
ISU agricultural specialist Dennis Kent also helped organize the program by coordinating the on-farm activities, and he said he considers the program a great success.
"This allows the LC Farm to cooperate and provide a service to the youth of southwest Iowa," he said. "By providing pigs, we hope to further education, participation and interest in the youth swine programs of southwest Iowa. I was told by the Fremont County swine superintendent, 'swine numbers at the Fremont County Fair have really increased. We can't thank you enough.'"
Brummett said pigs for this initial program were not bred as show pigs. The Duroc-Landrace-Hamphire-Yorkshire cross pigs were bred for performance, and the true test of that intent will be evident at this summer's county fairs.
The organizing group will evaluate the program later this year, and Kent said the early positive response from people involved virtually guarantees its renewal.
"This project allowed access to high-health, quality pigs for youth who might not have had access otherwise," Kent said. "Due to the success of the project, we will continue it, and next year the number of pigs available will be increased."
For more information on this pilot program, contact Brummett at (712) 523-2137 or Kent at (712) 243-2729.
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