Swine
Species-Chair:
Mary Lynn Robertson * [email protected] * 231-645-5887
Assistant Species-Chairs:
Mary Ann Wilsey * [email protected] * 231-632-8906
Kim Franke * [email protected] * 231-392-3314
Mary Lynn Robertson * [email protected] * 231-645-5887
Assistant Species-Chairs:
Mary Ann Wilsey * [email protected] * 231-632-8906
Kim Franke * [email protected] * 231-392-3314
Registration |
February 2, 2026 |
Minimum Weight @ Fair |
225 lbs. |
Birth Date |
After December 1, 2025 |
Maximum Weight @ Fair |
315 lbs. |
Possession |
May 1, 2026 |
Record Book Due |
September 14, 2026 |
Tagging |
Virtual Online Form Due by May 15, 2026 |
Thank You Note Due |
October 5, 2026 |
2026 Swine Registration Now Closed
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There are TWO required registrations each year:
One for 4Honline and one for your swine project with the Northwest Michigan 4-H Livestock Council.
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Newsletters
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Social Media |
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*If your breeder does not tag with a USDA 840 tag prior to your project pig leaving their farm, you will need to secure your own premise ID tag from MDARD.
Read this article for more information. |
Education
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Click the Pig to be taken to a page with Educational Opportunities |
Policies/Procedures/Forms
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FAIR WEEK Volunteers Needed!!!
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Details will be decided soon for 2026!! 
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2026 Fair Week Expectations
Fair Week Requirements
- Weigh-in takes place while unloading at the fair.
- The Swine Health Record must be filled out, signed, and presented in order to unload at the fair.
- Clean pig, clean ear tags, and 4Her must be present.
- If you have two swine registered, the pig that weighs is the pig that stays
- Youth are responsible for providing enough feed to care for their hog throughout the entire week. No feed, feed bags, or supplies are to be left in the barn (everything must be stored at the campsite).
- Youth are responsible for feeding, watering, and caring for their animal the entire week.
- Youth are responsible for keeping their pens clean all week.
- Sawdust needs to be conserved. Morning cleanings will be a complete change of sawdust and must be completed before 9:00 a.m. Afternoon cleaning will be spot cleans and will be performed before 5:00 p.m. each afternoon. If a complete change of sawdust must be completed after the morning change (water pipe leakage, sick pig, etc.) this must be approved by barn volunteer.
- Show Requirements:
- Youth are required to show in the appropriate showmanship and market classes in order to auction their pig
- The body of your hog may be clipped to ½ inch or longer. DO NOT shave your pig.
- Barn Duty
- Barn Duty will be assigned by species chair for 2-3, one-hour sessions each during fair week. Check list will be provided at species meeting to be completed during the one-hour duty. Leader or designated adult must be present to oversee 4-Hers the entire time. Checklist must be turned into barn communication box in the back of the barn after each barn duty and will be signed by leader or designee for each group assigned.
- Showmanship and Market Set Up and take down
- After barns close, 4-Hers 15 and older will be expected to help with set up of rings/chutes/holding pens for the swine show the following day.
- After show ends, 4-Hers 15 and older will be expected to help with tear down of rings/chutes/holding pens.
- Sign in and Sign out will be required.
- Parents
- Parents of 4-Hers in swine barn will be expected to sign up for three volunteer positions during shows and/or fair week. These positions are the following, but not limited to:
- Running swine boards for unloading, show days, picture day, and auction, along with trucking morning.
- Announcing over the PA system in the barn for shows and auction day
- Releasing pens as numbers are called
- Arena workers to help guide 4-Hers and swine in and out of the arena and help with boards in arena if needed.
- Gate attendant for front and back gate during shows and auction
- Escorting 4-Hers back to pens and securing gates
- Parent Volunteer Signup will be released via SignUp Genius by the last week of July.
- Parents of 4-Hers in swine barn will be expected to sign up for three volunteer positions during shows and/or fair week. These positions are the following, but not limited to:
- Fair End Responsibilities:
- Completely clean and scrape down pens
- Bars on the pens need to be scrubbed and wiped down
- After pens completely clean, youth must be checked out by a barn volunteer prior to leaving the barn/grounds.
Swine Resources |
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- Article: Small Swine Farm Management of Pigs in Spring and Summer, Casey Zangaro, Michigan State University Extension - March 14, 2024
- www.mipork.org
- www.showpig.com Click on Show Community, then resources.
- http://pork.msue.msu.edu
- www.mipork.org
- www.thepigsite.com
- Project Market Hog Purchasing Guide
- Pig Parts
- How to estimate the weight of a hog
| "Preparing for the Final Drive" by Hannah Bollinger |
Swine Breeders
4-H Swine Breeders Listing: https://www.mipork.org/show-pigs/
Additional Listing of Swine Breeders:
Additional Listing of Swine Breeders:
- Albright Swine Farms
- Demoulpied, Jim
- 231-947-2186 or 231-631-6263
- Pontz Farm - Gerry Pontz
- (231) 250-0233
5117 210th Ave Reed City, MI
- (231) 250-0233
- Recker, Tim
- reckerswinefarms.com
- 231-342-7698
- Sivek, Tyler
- 231-620-2293
- [email protected]
- Svec Farms
- Trattles Livestock Delivered to Hilltop Feed for local pick up
- 269-506-5802
- Windy Knoll Swine
- 231-218-3770
- [email protected]
- Zienteks Swine Farm
- 231-313-6700
- [email protected]
2026 Swine Shows in Michigan
The Michigan Swine Youth Challenge was developed to recognize those youth that participate in all aspects of swine exhibition and knowledge. In 2023 the program was renamed MI PIGS.
Please contact [email protected] with questions.
QUESTIONS??
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Email or Text Mary Lynn, Mary Ann or Kim with any questions!
Species-Chair: Mary Lynn Robertson [email protected] 231-645-5887 Assistant Species-Chair: Mary Ann Wilsey [email protected] 231-632-8906 Assistant Species-Chair: Kim Franke [email protected] 231-392-3314 |