Are hogs easier than cattle?

[Dusty]

In response to a question in another thread I thought I would pose the question, Are hogs easier than cattle?

My response.  Yes

Lower cost of animal.

Less feed cost.

Don't have to keep them in a refrigerator

A lot less show supplies.

 

[shortyjock89]

I think hogs are WAY easier. You don't have to put in near the hours with a hog. 

 

[Dusty]

I think hogs are WAY easier. You don't have to put in near the hours with a hog. 

I've done both.  Yes you don't have to put in as many hours, but it does take more hours than one thinks to get a set hogs ready for show.  You will spend about as much time at night walking hogs and training them for show as you will working hair on a steer.

 

[shortyjock89]

Yeah, you have to walk them a lot, but when we have steers, we do a bunch of walking too at night and very early in the morning. 

The only thing that would be a challenge for me is feeding a pig. I can feed a calf pretty dang well, but there are a lot more additives that a lot of the big shot pig boys put in their feed. 

 

[GLZ]

Hogs are much easier.  Just for the turn around time alone.  Gestation length is shorter, time to raise to breeding age is much shorter.  Many offspring as opposed to 1.

 

[box6rranch]

Definitely easier! Just think how much less time it takes to fit for showing. Only drawback is they will destroy almost anything in their path. You really have to have a secure set up for them. No matter what we did they pulled the spouts out of the drum waterers and made quite a mess!

 

[pjkjr4]

This maybe like trying to compare apples and oranges. Back when I showed (20 years ago) it was a no-brainer. Hogs were definitely easier. Nowadays, with mixing all the additives in with feed, especially from 150 pounds on, and all the exercising you need to do, takes so much more time and effort than meets the eye. Oh, and then if you have a white hog that you want to stay white, you need to keep them on concrete with 6" or so of woodchips that you have to clean out once a week, along with washing the pig once a week. It doesn't make much sense to bring a dirty pig back into a $70.00 pile of clean wood shavings.
If the ratio of cattle to hogs is 1 to 1 or even 1 to 2, I would say hogs are easier. Any more than that, and I say it is a push. Especially for the last 90 prior to show. As far as feed cost goes, (with additives) I can feed 2 1/2 pigs for 6 months for the same cost that I can feed 1 steer for a year. Isn't that nuts???

Funny thing is, at our county show last week, I walked through the pig barn several times. Each time, there was at least 1 hog squealing at the top of its lungs. Going through the cattle barn, the loudest thing I heard was a fan.

Anyway, 1 year from now I will be able to give a detailed report on which is harder.

 

[MJA]

Rasing cattle might be more rewarding. You have fewer offspring, so its more important to do all the right steps. I haven't raised show pigs, so I'm kinda bias. Just a thought. - mja

 

[simtal]

this ain't even close, its alot easier to raise show hogs.

 

[oakbar]

Pigs are OK I guess if you want to smell like one!!   Actually, we have a good natured argument in our county between those of us that like cattle and those "poor, misguided pig folks" as I call them.   We have several people trying to get my daughter to show pigs which I have resisted so far.
I told her she had to pick between pigs and Prom.  I think she might actualy pick the pigs if she thought I really meant it.   Actually, with my girls involvement in sports, etc. we had to make some choices and not try to do everything.  I didn't raise dumb kids--they know Dad will actually help with the calves where I probably wouldn't with the pigs.  Our county has a very strong hog show and a lot of involvement by kids and adults.  

Showing pigs can be a lot of work, too, but I guess I'd have to say that if you're going to wash, blow, fit, train, etc. a calf it probably takes way more time.  I actually showed a champion pig or two in my FFA days--when I could stand the smell and before I knew better.  Ha, Ha!!

 

[angusbreed]

Sheep are easier than both, easy to work, not too messy, fairly dumb

 

[reno1014]

We show both.....when I have to feed when my son is gone .....its not done right.  I can feed the cattle no problem.
The hogs....1 pound of this 5 oz of that 2 ounces of some slimy stuff, 7 oz of moorfat, 1 scoop of stride n flex, two fig newtons
and one twinkie.  I thought I had the twinkie thing down and then ...wham...no more twinkies, but add two more ounces of moorfat.
when he comes home they are still alive...that is what counts.

 

[farmboy]

we have compared steers to pigs, how about pigs to lambs

 

[CM Cattle]

I would have to go with a lamb.

 

[shortyjock89]

Lambs are a lot easier to kill too.

 

[kanshow]

Pigs are far easier than lambs.    Pigs will actually respond to feed changes so you can make them grow or slow them up.  Lambs..  much harder to get that kind of reaction.  Lambs are incredibly stupid.  You can keep a pig anywhere with a little strand of electric fence.  Lambs - you have to build Fort Knox or something to keep in.  Pigs need a bath & a little clipping that can be done with some cheapo Walmart clippers.  Lambs -takes a lot more clipping and you'd better have a pretty decent set of clippers and some expensive blades to get it done right.  You also need a sheep stand unless you want a backache.  Then you have all the lamb blankets, chariots, tracks or whatever else you want to spend your money on.  I suppose the trade off is that it is way cheaper to feed a lamb than a pig.      Then you have health issues...  Pigs can be vaccinated for almost anything they might get at a show.  If sheep HEAR the word ringworm or fungus they get it the day before the show.      And smell wise..  sheep can stink just as bad as a pig. 

 

[BCCC]

A county fair pg is deffintaly easier to raise then a calf, however to raise a pig right, and get it to look its best to show at state or national shows, it doesnt have the word easy anywhere.

 

[kanshow]

however to raise a pig right, and get it to look its best to show at state or national shows, it doesnt have the word easy anywhere.

That is the truth for sure!    What I've noticed with pigs is that you really have to pick a target show and feed to that date. 

 

[yousesteers]

I raise hogs to pay the bills not show pigs but regular hogs it is easier to get financing for the hogs than for cattle I farrow 122 sows every 3 weeks then move them on to the nursery I have a few cows to eat the grass on the 35 acres the hog barns sit on so I dont have to mow i spend a lot more time in the hog barns than in the cattle barn but cattle are a hobby and the hogs pay the bills if I had my choice and could swing it I would have 400 cows and 0 hogs but I dont see it happening any time soon

 

[shortdawg]

Pigs are way easier IMO. This is the first year since the early 80's some of my bunch isn't showing pigs in our County Fair. I don't miss the smell at all but did offer to help shape up some for a friend ??!!!!?