Students from schools from around New South Wales went to Bedgerabong last Wednesday for the annual pig education day.
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Coordinator Anne Earney said the event was amazing and was one of the biggest years so far, with some 140 students attending.
This is the fourth year of the pig education day and it attracted students from schools on NSW’s south coast as well as two students from Bendigo and Lockyer Valley.
“Even though the pig industry is down at the moment, students and schools are still interested,” Mrs Earney said.
During this education day, students were given a complete overview of the pig industry.
Students had the chance to learn about the whole pig industry, and the life cycles of pigs from artificial insemination through to pork marketing.
They performed ultrasounds on pigs, learned to wash and prepare pigs for show as well as parade them.
They even learned about the judging of pigs at show.
There were presentations from groups like Rivalea Australia and Australian Pork Ltd who handle the production and the marketing of pork. as well as a demonstration from retired Cowra butcher Joe DeMamiel.
Even though many schools sign up to take part in the event, Mrs Earney urges members of the general public to come and learn more about the industry during the next event.
The next pig education day is planned for May, 2019.
The education day was followed by a very successful stud pig sale at the same location on the Thursday.
Stud sale success
Agent Murray Reid from VC Reid and Sons said the results were a pleasing surprise – they exceeded expectations by a long shot.
Bedgerabong yarded 42 pigs from breeders in New South Wales and Queensland, with 35 being sold.
“A very good sale rate considering the state of the pork industry at the present,” Mr Reid said.
The top priced pig offered on the day was a mated gilt which sold for $2,800.
Average price of the mated gilts was $1,344.
The winning exhibit was a land race boar which sold for $1,500.
Average price of the land race boars was $1,025 per head.
Large white boars averaged at $937 per head.
The average price of unjoined gilts was $538 per head.
“It’s down on previous years,” Mr Reid said.
“But considering the state of the market, it exceeded expectations.”
There were buyers from Queensland, and the Goulburn region, as well as local buyers represented at the stud sale.