# What is a 4H auction porker gonna cost me?



## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

I've been thinking for the first foray into filling the freezer with pork that I should attend the state fair 4H auction and bid on one of the pigs that don't place very highly. I've heard a lot of 4H moms lamenting the pork projects, saying that unless you place 1st or 2nd, you don't even recover feed costs. 

What should I expect to pay for a pig in this manner? Is the bidding going to go "per pound" or a flat price for the whole animal?


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## Fineswine (Aug 25, 2011)

They wont sell for anything near butcher hog prices if thats what you are asking.They put alot of money into feeding those hogs.Also you have to think,alot of farmers bid even on the lower placed ones to help the kids.Also those hogs DONT taste as good either....hope this helped


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## cooper101 (Sep 13, 2010)

Just make a donation and buy one that will taste good. Our fair just ended and prices were 1.50 and up. Market price is .61. It's usually by pound of live weight. We have TONS of pigs at our fair and most go for around 1.50 or 2.00. Most of the animal leaders try to make the minimum bid about 2-3 times market so the kids make some money. At market prices, they would all lose money.

Our fair has rules that they have to be grain fed, so they all basically taste the same as any other market hog, but they cost way more. I've also heard that the meat is just all mixed at the processor, so you're not even sure to get the pig you bought. Obviously, that depends on the processor. 

Buying at the 4H auction is a good way to support a kid who put some effort into a project. It's not a good way to buy pork.


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

cooper101 said:


> Just make a donation and buy one that will taste good. Our fair just ended and prices were 1.50 and up. Market price is .61. It's usually by pound of live weight. We have TONS of pigs at our fair and most go for around 1.50 or 2.00. Most of the animal leaders try to make the minimum bid about 2-3 times market so the kids make some money. At market prices, they would all lose money.
> 
> *I am told that this is the case in our state--- most exhibitors lose money in the endeavor.*
> 
> ...


*Depends on the location?*


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## Fineswine (Aug 25, 2011)

Dusky Beauty said:


> *Depends on the location?*


4H is in every state.It may slighty differ but again,if your looking for a butcher hog,you will pay way more at a 4H auction.Go to the sale and see for yourself.Every one I have ever been to ends up with hogs going for 2 to 3 times market price....hope this helps


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

When I was in 4H and FFA every hog entered was sold at market price plus what was bid on them. You had a choice if you wanted to sell. You were guaranteed market price. The high bidder could keep the pig or deduct market price from their bid.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Before buying check carefully how the pigs were raised and what they ate, etc. Buy with your eyes wide open.


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## Soupmaker (Apr 28, 2012)

I think you'd have to be doing something seriously wrong to lose money raising a fair pig.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

Soupmaker said:


> I think you'd have to be doing something seriously wrong to lose money raising a fair pig.


The prices paid for many of them just about make it impossible to make money on them.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

I considered buying one of the lower priced pigs for a breeding sow last year. There were some seriously gorgeous pigs that didn't place high (competition is really fierce). They were going for about $3 a pound. A good deal for a top quality sow.

Unfortunately, the rules at my 4-H fair state that pigs can only be purchased for meat and they must be processed by a licensed USDA inspected butcher. So after the auction, the pigs are all trucked to California, butchered, and then trucked back to Central Oregon.

Gee, no thanks. Even if what I'd wanted was meat, I wouldn't agree to that deal.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

The rules for 4H auctions are different in every county, what happens in my county in Indiana probably doesn't happen in your county in Arizona. 

Call the local Extension Office and get the information for the livestock auction, that will give you the information you seek.

Jim


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## Fineswine (Aug 25, 2011)

So the adverage for a 280 pound hog would be nearing $800....better buy the butcher hog,lol.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

It probably depends on where you are. Our kids were encouraged to get business' to support them and bid on their hogs.(as well as other animals). They all went way over market price. It was a bragging thing. It might be in your area the kids that don't do so well will sell at market price. That certainly wasn't true in either WI or TX. TX was crazy--I saw the top steer, hog, sheep, and pen of chickens bring $1,000,000.00 at the Houston Livestock show about 20 years ago!


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

Molly Mckee said:


> It probably depends on where you are. Our kids were encouraged to get business' to support them and bid on their hogs.(as well as other animals). They all went way over market price. It was a bragging thing. It might be in your area the kids that don't do so well will sell at market price. That certainly wasn't true in either WI or TX. TX was crazy--I saw the top steer, hog, sheep, and pen of chickens bring $1,000,000.00 at the Houston Livestock show about 20 years ago!


The people who buy those animals do not want or keep the animal.
It is sold at market price and sent right along with the others. That is unless the owner wants to keep it or someone wants to butcher it.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

The people that buy the 4-H animals usually eat them, even if they paid a fortune for them or they donate them to charity. When small town stores or other business buy them they get a plaque to display, and they may in the case of a grocery store sell the meat. When we lived in TX our locally owned grocery store bought several FFA and 4-H steers and then had a special sale.

I think it may differ from place to place, but the fair animals usually sell over market price when I've been at the sales. The reason the kids may not make much money is the fact they pay more for their project animals when they buy them, and feed them really well.

If you are interested, ask the 4-H leader how it works at your area, they should be able to tell you.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

This is about a _contest_, not about price. Parents who want their child to be a winner pay huge prices for livestock that can win.

Fair quality piglets can sell for $200-$300. The winning pig at last year's fair was purchased for $1,000 to give that child the best chance of being the winner, and it was brought in from 3 states away. Quality lambs bring the same kind of stupid price.

Feed for the show pigs is over $30 a bag.

The kids get a high price at auction, but they aren't making any money. They have a huge investment in their entry.


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## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

oregon woodsmok said:


> This is about a _contest_, not about price. Parents who want their child to be a winner pay huge prices for livestock that can win.
> 
> Fair quality piglets can sell for $200-$300. The winning pig at last year's fair was purchased for $1,000 to give that child the best chance of being the winner, and it was brought in from 3 states away. Quality lambs bring the same kind of stupid price.
> 
> ...


I didn't get 300 bucks for the ones i sold to the 4H this year but i did get more than if i would have kept them or sold them as feeder pigs. Also met a lot of folks that will be back next year for good farm raised pigs.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

There have been times when the economy was bad and there were more pigs at the fair than there were bidders, prices went below market price. but that's not common.

Buying a pig to bring home and breed isn't a good idea. Once at the fair, the pigs get exposed to every sort of bacteria and disease. Best to send them off to slaughter. IMHO.

There are many parents that go to great expense getting a feeder from Show Stock. then there is special feed. I can't recall the name, Pro-Lean or something like that. Really plumps them up, but I doubt I'd want to eat a pig that has had a lifetime of that.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

It also depends on your individual 4-H market. Around here, it's not how good your pig is, it's who you are. I've seen 3rd place pigs sell for twice as much as the RGC just because of which families the kids were born into. I wasn't paying the most attention this year as I was busy with my kid and her 4-H goat, but a couple years ago there were several blue ribbon pigs going for less than $1 a pound.


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