AUSTIN, Minn. — Auctioneer chant emanated from the Crane Pavilion on the final day of the 69th annual National Barrow Show.
Breeding stock from 16 states came before bidders on Sept. 16. The top selling animal was a Duroc boar raised at the Iowa State University Allen E. Christian Swine Teaching farm in Ames, Iowa. He brought $20,000.
The facility is known to raise quality purebred livestock. Last year, a boar from the teaching farm fetched $85,000 at the barrow show sale. A sister of that boar is the mother of this year's top selling boar, which was sired by Cain4 Slats 1-3. The boar's mother is HD3 Full Back 42-5.
Kyle Rozeboom, a Murdock, Minn., native, remembers attending the barrow show as a child. His family went to the sale to buy boars. Now, a lecturer in animal science and general livestock team coach at the University of Minnesota, Rozeboom said there are not as many family farms that are smaller hog producers that would buy a boar at the show. Artificial insemination is much more common, with farmers buying a boar as a heat detector or clean-up boar. Few commercial swine operations would come to the National Barrow Show to buy a boar.
The barrow show, unfortunately, is becoming a show that is too late for major boar studs to come in and purchase boars. Now is prime time for fall semen sales, with breeders out east wanting to farrow in January. Boars have to be pretty exceptional for boar studs to purchase them this time of year, he said, because they have to wait for a return on investment. Boars have to go through a quarantine and complete health checks before semen can be sold, which may put them out of the fall semen rush.
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Last year's top-selling boar was one of those truly exceptional boars, Rozeboom said, and there may be more at the National Barrow Show, but typically, top-dollar boar sales are earlier in the summer. World Pork Expo, the National Summer Spectacular in Louisville and the Indiana State Fair consistently sell top-dollar boars.
Gilt sale prices are increasing as pork producers seek out gilts to improve their herds, he said. They purchase semen from top-quality hogs. A market gilt would bring about $135 at slaughter; the junior show champion Duroc gilt brought $5,000 at the auction. The gilt is a daughter of Cain4 Slats 1-3 and Cain2 King 1-1.
The sale prices at National Barrow Show are different than the commodity pig market, Rozeboom said. It's about the show pig market and what kids and their families are willing to pay to do better at their fairs and other shows. Purebred breeders are also in the market.
Different breeds also have different demand. The Berkshire breed is hot right now, Rozeboom said, while the Landrace is not. Landrace, though, are popular commercially. Fifty-five head sold in the Berkshire breeding sale at the National Barrow Show; while only 12 head of Landrace sold.
Sale results from National Swine Registry breeds. Show results from Certified Pedigree Swine were not available at press time.
Duroc: 12 boars sold for an average of $2,625 and 33 gilts sold for an average of $1,114. A total of 45 head sold for $68,275.
Hampshire: Nine boars sold for an average of $2,750 and 16 gilts sold for an average of $997. A total of 25 head sold for $40,700.
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Berkshire: 15 boars sold for an average of $1,102 and 40 gilts sold for an average of $855. A total of 55 head sold for $50,725.
Landrace: Two boars sold for an average of $2,025 and 10 gilts sold for an average of $580. A total of 12 head sold for $11,050.
Eight crossbred boars sold for $7,900, an average of $988.
