The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-08-03
BOYS PIG CLUBS DOING GREAT
WORK IN KENTUCKY
Membership Has Grown From Gao
to 1850, in Forty Counties, in a
SinUle Wear

Membership Has Grown From Gao
TO 1850, in Forty Counties, in a
Single Wear
In nineteen and fifteen a boys pig
club was introduced into Kentucky.
Thirteen counties we're organized
under the leadership Of their county
agents and 6i9 boys became men,
bers. Local shows were held and
the winning boy from each county
received a free trip to the Farmer
Boys Encampment at the State Fair.
Sixteen boys were given this trip
and eighteen pigs were exhibited.
This was the first State Pig Club
Show in Kentucky. Although the
exhibit was small, the interest was
so great and the showing so good
that the pig club has become per-
manent feature in farm demonstra-
ton work.
From this small beginning the
boys pig club has spread TO forty
counties with a membership of 1850
boys in single year. Bankers, bust
ness men and farmers have cooper
ated to the extent Of placing more
than 5000 worth Of pure bred hogs
i'm the hands Of these boys.
The State Agent and county agents
co-operated in organizing, holding
meetings, securing registered pigs,
visiting members, and instructing
them along the lines of animal hus-
bandry.
The 1916 Pig Club started May
18th. Each boy had gilt between
two and four months Of age, most OF
them securing registered pigs. Re-
cord books were furnished the boys
and the pigs were weighed and ears
tagged by the County Agent at the
beginning of the contest.
IL is contemplated that a local
show be held in each of the counties
organized, at which numerous prizes
will be given. The first prize in
each county will be a free trip TO
the Farmer Boys Encampment, CIV
en- by the State Fair and the College
OF Agriculture, to the boy making
the best showing as follows:
Best hog with respects to purpose
for which it was raised,iO per
cent.
Greatest daily gain, is per cent.
Cheapest cost of production, 25 per
cent.
Best kept record book, 20 per cent.
Not only will the winning boy be
given a free trip TO the fair, but ne
gotiations are now under way where
by the two best pigs from each
county will be sent free. Already
one Of the largest railroads in Ken
lucky has granted free transporta-
ton TO and from the fair for the |
two best pigs in counties having pig
clubs along its lines, and other roads
are expected to follow this example.
The Kentucky State Fair officials
have realized the educational value
of an exhibit from these boys and to
that end have opened their doors
wide, allowing each pig club exhib-
itor free entrance fee, free pens and
a distinct and separate department,
at the same time giving them the
privilege 10 exhibit in the breeders
classes. Over $4,000 in prizes has
been given by record associations.
business men and farmers. Last
year one boy defeated a ring of
twenty-four choice pigs exhibited
by breeders, causing considerable
comment. IL is expected that the
pig club exhibits will swell the
swine department by seventy-flve to
100 head, and some Of the breeders
will have TO put few extra curls in
their pigs tails if they expect TO
beat the boys.
The results of the pig club have
been widespread: hundreds of farm
ers have changed their feeding
methods; pure bred hogs have been
taken into counties where they were
not known before; community breed
ing has resulted in six or seven
counties; boys are becoming inter-
ested in the farm; greater interest
is being centered on the swine in
dustry of Kentucky, and this coming
September the greatest hog show in
the history Of the Kentucky State
Fair is predicted.