🐖Pigs: picking a good one

Picking your pig is the most important decision of your whole project. A good pig makes everything after it easier: it grows on schedule, it drives well in the ring, and it looks the part on sale day. A poor pick can be a long summer. Take your time, bring a grown-up, and use this page as your checklist.

First, know the rules you are shopping for

Before you look at a single pig, know what the Navajo County Junior Livestock Committee (NCJLC) needs from it. Full details are on the paperwork and legal page.

Rule: Market pigs must weigh at least 220 lb at the fair scale and no more than 320 lb show weight. Pigs under 220 lb go to the prospect class and cannot be sold at the auction.

Rule	What it means for you
Born between Dec 1 and Mar 1	Ask the breeder for the birth date. Write it down.
Own it 95 days before tagging	For the 2027 fair that is around June 11, 2027. Buy well before then.
Males must be fully castrated	Look for a barrow (castrated male) or a gilt (young female). No boars.
Ear tag required	A pig needs an Arizona premise ID tag or an official USDA 840 tag. The NCJL tag gets added on tagging day.
Max 2 pigs per exhibitor	You can bring two, but you can only sell one at the sale.

What a good market hog looks like

Judges are looking for a pig that will make good pork. You are looking for the same thing. Breeders often sum this up as “square over round” — a stout, square-looking pig on a sound skeleton beats a short-legged, round one. Walk around the pig, watch it move, and check these five things.

1. Structure (the skeleton)

• Level top. The back should be nearly flat from the shoulders to the tail, not humped or sagging.
• Long body. Longer pigs have more room for loin and grow into a better-looking animal.
• Correct legs. Legs should be set under the corners of the body, not tucked underneath. Look for a little angle in the hock (the back knee) and a strong, straight pastern (just above the hoof).
• Big feet. Big, even toes carry weight better and stay sound.

2. Muscle

• Wide from behind. Stand behind the pig. The ham should be the widest part, wider than the top of the back.
• Muscle down the ham. Look for a ham that is full from the top all the way down toward the hock, not just round at the top.
• Wide, expressive top. From above, the loin should look wide with a slight groove down the middle.
• Forearm. A thick forearm on the front leg usually means a muscular pig all over.

3. Depth and capacity

• Deep rib. A deep, wide rib cage means the pig can eat a lot and keep growing. Shallow-bodied pigs stall out.
• Balanced. The front end and the back end should look like they belong to the same pig.

4. Soundness on the move

• Watch it walk. Drive the pig 20 or 30 feet. It should stride out freely, reach with its front legs, and drive off its back legs.
• No limping, no stiffness. A pig that walks short or tight now will only get worse as it gains 150 lb.
• Head up and moving. A pig that naturally travels with its head up is easier to show.

5. Skin, hair, and health

• Clear eyes, no runny nose, no cough.
• Smooth skin with no scabs, lumps, or rough patches.
• Shiny hair that lies flat. Dull, standing-up hair can mean the pig is stressed or sick.
• Tail should be curly or at least relaxed. A tucked tail can mean the pig feels bad.

Red flags: pigs to walk away from

• Coughing, sneezing, or diarrhea in the pen (even if it is a different pig).
• A humped back or a pig that stands with all four feet bunched together.
• Buck knees, straight hocks, or toes that point way out.
• A pig that is far smaller than its pen mates of the same age.
• Any pig the breeder cannot give you a birth date for.
• Any male that has not been castrated yet, unless the breeder does it before you take the pig home.

Heads up: Do not fall in love with a face. Cute is not a class at the fair. Structure and muscle are.

Hitting the right weight at the fair

Your target is 260 to 290 lb on the fair scale. That sits right in the middle of the 220 to 320 lb window and gives you room if your pig grows faster or slower than planned.

A healthy market hog on good feed gains about 1.6 to 2.0 lb per day. Work backward from check-in on Tuesday, September 14, 2027:

If you buy in…	Days to fair	Pig should weigh about…
Early April	~160 days	30–50 lb
Early May	~130 days	50–70 lb
Late May / early June (ownership deadline)	~100 days	90–110 lb

Most families in Navajo County buy in March or April, picking up a 30 to 70 lb pig. That gives you time to train it and room to adjust feed. The June ownership deadline is a hard stop, so do not wait too long — buying a big pig late means you spend the summer trying to hold it under 320 lb, which is no fun.

See the raising page for how to speed up or slow down growth.

Breeds and crossbreds

Any breed can win. Most show pigs in Arizona are crossbreds. Here is what you will hear people talking about:

Type	What to know
Crossbred (most common)	A mix of breeds. Often the best combination of muscle, growth, and soundness.
Blue butt	A white-bodied crossbred with bluish spots on the rear, usually Hampshire × Yorkshire. Very popular and grows well.
Hampshire	Black with a white belt around the shoulders. Known for muscle and lean pork.
Duroc	Solid red. Grow fast, eat well, and are usually calm.
Yorkshire	Solid white. Long-bodied and big-framed. White pigs sunburn easily in our high desert sun.

Breed matters less than the individual pig in front of you. If you have to choose between a great crossbred and an okay purebred, take the great crossbred.

One local family’s pig guide reports that Berkshire and Berkshire/Hampshire crosses (sometimes with a touch of Yorkshire) have shown well with recent judges here, while Durocs catch the eye but can be harder to manage. Take that as one family’s opinion, not a rule.

How to evaluate pigs at the breeder

1. Call ahead. Ask what is available, birth dates, and whether the pigs are castrated and tagged.
2. Look at the whole litter first. Healthy pens are active, curious, and clean.
3. Pick your top three. Have the breeder pull them out one at a time so you can see each pig move by itself.
4. Walk around each one. Front view, side view, rear view. Then watch it walk away from you and toward you.
5. Put your hands on it. Feel the top for width and the ham for firmness. A good pig feels hard, not soft.
6. Ask about the parents. How big did littermates or last year’s pigs get? What do they usually weigh at fair?
7. Ask about feed. Find out what the pig is eating so you can switch slowly and avoid stomach upset.
8. Decide together. Your parent, your club leader, or an experienced club family can help you compare.

Tip: If you can, take an experienced 4-H family or your club leader with you. A second set of eyes catches things you will miss, and breeders respect a buyer who knows what to look for. First-timers do especially well buying from an established, well-known breeder.

Bring to the breeder

• Your budget and a way to pay
• A notebook or your phone to record birth date, sex, breed, weight, and feed
• Your ZSuite login info in case you need your member number
• A truck or trailer with a secure crate and a bag of shavings
• Water and a bucket for the ride home
• Sunscreen and boots for you

Rough budget

Prices change every year, so ask around. Very roughly:

• A quality show prospect pig in Arizona often runs roughly a few hundred dollars, with pigs from well-known show bloodlines costing more.
• Feed for the summer is usually the biggest cost, often roughly as much or more than the pig itself.
• Add equipment (feeder, waterer, panels, shade) if you are building a pen for the first time.

Write every dollar down. It all goes in your record book, and you will need it to answer judges’ questions and to talk with buyers.

Where to find pigs

Our where to buy page keeps the Handbook’s list of local pig sources club families have used and explains how to find more. Good show pigs sell fast in the spring, so start calling in February or March.

Next steps

• Get the pen and shade built before the pig comes home: see raising and housing.
• Start handling your pig the day it arrives: see learning to show.
• Get the paperwork rolling: paperwork and legal.