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Guide to Determine What Weight Show Pig to Buy

Filed Under:
Publication Number: P2516
View as PDF: P2516.pdf

Traditionally, the swine show at the Dixie National Junior Round-Up is scheduled for a Saturday near February 1 each year. In 2022, the Dixie National Junior Round-Up Swine Market Hog Show is scheduled for Saturday, February 5.

Each year, many swine exhibitors purchase the pigs they intend to show at the Dixie National Junior Round-Up in Jackson. Some exhibitors purchase pigs at show pig sales, on-farm sales, or from individual producers usually in late September and October. Sometimes they purchase in early November, since the ownership deadline for pigs is December 1. Don’t wait until November to purchase a pig, because there may not be many left.

To be successful showing pigs, plan before purchasing the show pig.

It is a good idea to understand the show requirements.

  • Become familiar with the rules and regulations of the specific show in which you will show the animal.
  • Each show may have different requirements, and the requirements may change from one year to the next.
  • Mississippi Bred Contest: If you want to be eligible for additional premiums provided by the Mississippi Pork Producers Association for Mississippi-bred tagged pigs, ask the seller if the pig will be tagged Mississippi-bred before you purchase the pig. All Mississippi-bred tagged pigs should be tagged before change of ownership.

Here are more things to consider before purchasing the show pig:

  • Animal care—Who will provide daily care for the pig?
  • Housing—Do you have a shelter and pen to keep the pig comfortable?
  • Transport of the pig—Do you have a truck or trailer to haul the pig(s) you purchase?
  • Equipment—Do you have a self-feeder and water supply for the pig?
  • Feed—What will you feed your pig, and will you have the feed when the pig arrives?
  • Health program—Ask the seller what vaccinations or dewormers the pig has received and when the treatments were given.
  • Market situation—What do you plan to do with your pig after the show?
  • Sources of show pigs—Where will you go to purchase a show pig?

How to Use the Tables

The following tables will help you determine what weight pig to purchase at various times. Each table is for a different purchase date (September through November). The purchase date is listed at the top left side. Also, the number of days to the show date (February 5) is listed on the top row after the pig purchase weight. Be sure you use the table that matches your pig purchase date.

Table 1 – Purchase date, September 1

Table 2 – Purchase date, September 15

Table 3 – Purchase date, October 1

Table 4 – Purchase date, October 15

Table 5 – Purchase date, November 1

Table 6 – Purchase date, November 15

Pigs must weigh 200 pounds or more at the show. There is no maximum weight for the market pigs. Barrows entered in the MS Bred Barrow Show must weigh between 200 and 290 pounds at the time of show check-in.

There are different ways to use these tables. One way, if you know the weight of the pig you want to buy, is to locate that weight on the top row of the table, then locate the expected average daily gain (ADG) in the column on the left side of the table. The number at the intersection of the row and column is the projected weight of the pig on February 5, 2022.

Example: Table 2. Purchase Date: September 15—You found a pig you want to purchase. The pig weighs 60 pounds, and you think the pig will gain 1.5 pounds per day. The projected weight of the pig on February 5 is 275 pounds.

Another method, if you know what weight you would like your pig to weigh at the show, is to locate that weight in the unshaded area of the table along the same row you think the pig will gain (ADG), then go up the column from the desired show weight to find what weight pig you need to purchase (pig purchase weight).

Example: Table 3. Purchase Date: October 1—You want your pig to weigh about 280 pounds at the show, and you estimate the pig will gain 1.75 pounds per day. From the 282 value located in the 1.75 row, go up the column to the top row (pig purchase weight), and determine a 60-pound pig is what you need to purchase on October 1.

In this same table with the same show weight of about 280 pounds, there are other pigs with a similar weight. For instance, if you purchased a 90-pound pig October 1, you have to make sure the pig gains no more than 1.5 pounds per day to weigh 281 pounds on the show date. And a 120-pound pig purchased October 1 needs to gain only 1.25 pounds per day to weigh 279 pounds on February 5, 2022.

Approximate Show Pig Weight Tables

Table 1. Purchase date: September 1, 2021

Average Daily Gain, lb/day

Pig Purchase Weight, lb (157 days to show)

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

1.00

187

197

207

217

227

237

247

257

267

277

287

297

307

1.25

226

236

246

256

266

276

286

296

306

316

326

336

346

1.50

266

276

286

296

306

316

326

336

346

356

366

376

386

1.75

305

315

325

335

345

355

365

375

385

395

405

415

425

2.00

344

354

364

374

384

394

404

414

424

434

444

454

464

For a September 1, 2021, purchase date of a pig weighing 30–150 pounds that gains between 1 and 2 lb/day, the expected weight range is 207–287.

Table 2. Purchase date: September 15, 2021

Average Daily Gain, lb/day

Pig Purchase Weight, lb (143 days to show)

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

1.00

173

183

193

203

213

223

233

243

253

263

273

283

293

1.25

209

219

229

239

249

259

269

279

289

299

309

319

329

1.50

245

255

265

275

285

295

305

315

325

335

345

355

365

1.75

280

290

300

310

320

330

340

350

360

370

380

390

400

2.00

316

326

336

346

356

366

376

386

396

406

416

426

436

For a September 15, 2021, purchase date of a pig weighing 30–150 pounds that gains between 1 and 2 lb/day, the expected weight range is 203–289.

Table 3. Purchase date: October 1, 2021

Average Daily Gain, lb/day

Pig Purchase Weight, lb (127 days to show)

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

1.00

157

167

177

187

197

207

217

227

237

247

257

267

277

1.25

189

199

209

219

229

239

249

259

269

279

289

299

309

1.50

221

231

241

251

261

271

281

291

301

311

321

331

341

1.75

252

262

272

282

292

302

312

322

332

342

352

362

372

2.00

284

294

304

314

324

334

344

354

364

374

384

394

404

For an October 1, 2021, purchase date of a pig weighing 30–150 pounds that gains between 1 and 2 lb/day, the expected weight range is 207–289.

Table 4. Purchase date: October 15, 2021

Average Daily Gain, lb/day

Pig Purchase Weight, lb (113 days to show)

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

1.00

143

153

163

173

183

193

203

213

223

233

243

253

263

1.25

171

181

191

201

211

221

231

241

251

261

271

281

291

1.50

200

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

1.75

228

238

248

258

268

278

288

298

308

318

328

338

348

2.00

256

266

276

286

296

306

316

326

336

346

356

366

376

For an October 15, 2021, purchase date of a pig weighing 30–150 pounds that gains between 1 and 2 lb/day, the expected weight range is 200–288.

Table 5. Purchase date: November 1, 2021

Average Daily Gain, lb/day

Pig Purchase Weight, lb (96 days to show)

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

1.00

126

136

146

156

166

176

186

196

206

216

226

236

246

1.25

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

1.50

174

184

194

204

214

224

234

244

254

264

274

284

294

1.75

198

208

218

228

238

248

258

268

278

288

298

308

318

2.00

222

232

242

252

262

272

282

292

302

312

322

332

342

For a November 1, 2021, purchase date of a pig weighing 30–150 pounds that gains between 1 and 2 lb/day, the expected weight range is 200–288.

Table 6. Purchase date: November 15, 2021

Average Daily Gain, lb/day

Pig Purchase Weight, lb (82 days to show)

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

1.00

112

122

132

142

152

162

172

182

192

202

212

222

232

1.25

133

143

153

163

173

183

193

203

213

223

233

243

253

1.50

153

163

173

183

193

203

213

223

233

243

253

263

273

1.75

174

184

194

204

214

224

234

244

254

264

274

284

294

2.00

194

204

214

224

234

244

254

264

274

284

294

304

314

For a November 15, 2021, purchase date of a pig weighing 30–150 pounds that gains between 1 and 2 lb/day, the expected weight range is 202–284.

Ownership deadline: December 1

Example: How to calculate a projected pig weight for the show date

If you want to calculate the projected pig weight for a specific date not listed in the above tables, the following example should be helpful.

Item 1 First, determine how many days it will be from the date of purchase to the show date.

From October 4 to February 5, there are 124 days (see Table 7).

Item 2 Next, find out the weight of the pig you plan to purchase.

The seller may provide this information, or you can estimate the weight or weigh the pig on a scale.

Example: Starting pig weight is 59 pounds.

Item 3 Next, determine how many pounds of gain per day (ADG) the pig will average until the show.

This will vary depending on the genetic potential of the pig, health status, type and quality of feed, amount of feed provided to the pig each day, housing conditions, weather factors, and so forth. Pigs will grow better if they are not alone. Normally, a pig should gain within a range of 1.4 to 2 pounds per day. Example 1.78 pounds.

Generally, from 60 to 110 pounds, a pig will eat about 5 pounds of feed per day and should gain about 1.5 pounds per day. As the pig approaches 200 pounds, it will eat about 8 pounds of feed per day and should gain about 2 pounds per day.

Item 4 Last, calculate the estimated weight of your pig on the show date.

Multiply Item 1 by Item 3, then add the answer to Item 2; this value is the estimated pig weight on the show date.

Example calculation:

Item 1 = 124 days until show

Item 2 = 59 pounds, initial pig weight

Item 3 = 1.78 average daily gain

Item 4 = 280 pounds of weight on show date

(Item 1 x Item 3) + Item 2 = Item 4.

(124 days x 1.78 lb ADG) + 59-lb pig = 280-lb pig at the show

A show weight calculator to help with the purchase and growth management of your show pig is available in an excel spreadsheet. Go to http://extension.msstate.edu/agriculture/livestock/swine, and scroll down the page to Other Information/Show Weight Calculator (Excel file).

Table 7. Determine the number of days from purchase to show. Ownership deadline is December 1, 2021.

Example

Purchase date: October 1, 2021

Show Date: February 5, 2022

Number of days to show: 127

Pig purchase date

Number of days to show

1-Sep

157

2-Sep

156

3-Sep

155

4-Sep

154

5-Sep

153

6-Sep

152

7-Sep

151

8-Sep

150

9-Sep

149

10-Sep

148

11-Sep

147

12-Sep

146

13-Sep

145

14-Sep

144

15-Sep

143

16-Sep

142

17-Sep

141

18-Sep

140

19-Sep

139

20-Sep

138

21-Sep

137

22-Sep

136

23-Sep

135

24-Sep

134

25-Sep

133

26-Sep

132

27-Sep

131

28-Sep

130

29-Sep

129

30-Sep

128

1-Oct

127

2-Oct

126

3-Oct

125

4-Oct

124

5-Oct

123

6-Oct

122

7-Oct

121

8-Oct

120

9-Oct

119

10-Oct

118

11-Oct

117

12-Oct

116

13-Oct

115

14-Oct

114

15-Oct

113

16-Oct

112

17-Oct

111

18-Oct

110

19-Oct

109

20-Oct

108

21-Oct

107

22-Oct

106

23-Oct

105

24-Oct

104

25-Oct

103

26-Oct

102

27-Oct

101

28-Oct

100

29-Oct

99

30-Oct

98

31-Oct

97

1-Nov

96

2-Nov

95

3-Nov

94

4-Nov

93

5-Nov

92

6-Nov

91

7-Nov

90

8-Nov

89

9-Nov

88

10-Nov

87

11-Nov

86

12-Nov

85

13-Nov

84

14-Nov

83

15-Nov

82

16-Nov

81

17-Nov

80

18-Nov

79

19-Nov

78

20-Nov

77

21-Nov

76

22-Nov

75

23-Nov

74

24-Nov

73

25-Nov

72

26-Nov

71

27-Nov

70

28-Nov

69

29-Nov

68

30-Nov

67

Passed ownership deadline

Number of days to show

1-Dec

66

2-Dec

65

3-Dec

64

4-Dec

63

5-Dec

62

6-Dec

61

7-Dec

60

8-Dec

59

9-Dec

58

10-Dec

57

11-Dec

56

12-Dec

55

13-Dec

54

14-Dec

53

15-Dec

52

16-Dec

51

17-Dec

50

18-Dec

49

19-Dec

48

20-Dec

47

21-Dec

46

22-Dec

45

23-Dec

44

24-Dec

43

25-Dec

42

26-Dec

41

27-Dec

40

28-Dec

39

29-Dec

38

30-Dec

37

31-Dec

36

1-Jan

35

2-Jan

34

3-Jan

33

4-Jan

32

5-Jan

31

6-Jan

30

7-Jan

29

8-Jan

28

9-Jan

27

10-Jan

26

11-Jan

25

12-Jan

24

13-Jan

23

14-Jan

22

15-Jan

21

16-Jan

20

17-Jan

19

18-Jan

18

19-Jan

17

20-Jan

16

21-Jan

15

22-Jan

14

23-Jan

13

24-Jan

12

25-Jan

11

26-Jan

10

27-Jan

9

28-Jan

8

29-Jan

7

30-Jan

6

31-Jan

5

1-Feb

4

2-Feb

3

3-Feb

2

4-Feb

1

5-Feb

0

Summary

Careful attention to the pig’s growth rate can identify other management practices that may need attention. If the rate of growth is less than you expect, consider other influences you may need to address, such as health status, animal comfort (housing conditions), and dietary concerns. The information in this publication can help you monitor and adjust the growth of the pig throughout the feeding period before the show. Purchasing a show pig that is the correct weight for the intended show gives you a good beginning to your swine project.


Publication 2516 (POD-09-21)

Revised by Dean Jousan, PhD, Associate Extension Professor, and Mark A. Crenshaw, PhD, Extension Professor (retired), Animal and Dairy Sciences.

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