CHAPTER XIX 

 HANDLING SHOW HERD IN THE EING 



The proper fitting and handling; of the show herd before it 

 starts put on the circuit, will prevent much trouble in handling 

 the animals in the ring. 



With the herd properly trained, there is nothing with which 

 to handle them compared with a buggy whip, in the hands of a 

 man who has sense enough not to whip the hogs, but quietly touch 

 them on, either side of the head to place them where he wishes. 

 As a matter of fact this has been my experience in the many years 

 of handling show hogs. I never need a hurdle with our hogs. 

 With some breeds it is absolutely necessary to have a hurdle in 

 handling a mature boar even though he is supposed to be well 

 mannered and docile, but there is no excuse in using a hurdle with 

 a bunch of sows if they are half way prepared before starting 

 on the circuit. When a hurdle must be used, let it be a light one 

 and made so that the hog cannot see through it. Don't make it 

 of narrow slats a few inches apart, but cover it with heavy material, 

 or else make it of boards tightly matched so there can be no see- 

 ing through it. When in the ring with the herd or a single animal, 

 show to the best possible advantage. The showman has this 

 privilege. 



Feeding on Circuit. Many exhibitors seem to think that 

 when they start out on the show circuit they must stuff the 

 animals with all the feed possible, not only during the time they 

 are on the cars going to and from the shows but each day while 

 on the grounds. It has been our experience that the man who 

 follows this custom generally arrives home with his hogs much 

 lighter in weight than when he started out, while if the hogs 

 had been given only water to drink while en route to the shows 

 and fed lightly for the first day afte.r arriving and given plenty 

 of exercise, they would wind up the circuit in much better 'con- 

 dition than if they had been stuffed all the time. 



I have known an exhibitor to buy warm milk from some of the 

 dairymen and feed his pigs all they could hold, though they 

 had never had a drop at home while being fitted. This generally 

 results in a case of scours with the pigs "off feed" for several 

 days and by the time they go into the ring they are badly gaunted 

 up. Of course if the pigs have had this ration at home it should 

 be continued. Avoid radical changes in the rations. 



Treatment of the Herd on Its Return Home. Many successful 

 exhibitors, when they have finished the show circuit, won their 

 laurels and arrived home safely with their herds, seem to think 

 that the animals now need no further attention, except feed. 



