Iowa Pork Congress event attracts hundreds

The hundreds of youth that will participate in the Iowa Pork Producers Association Youth Swine Judging Contest in January will learn more information to grow their interest in pork production, and senior level teams will be eligible to win scholarships.

The contest, which is held in conjunction with the 2020 Iowa Pork Congress, will be Thursday, Jan. 23, at the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion on the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.

This is a team contest, and teams should register on www.IowaPork.org under the Youth tab by Jan. 10. A team will consist of 4 students, with 3 of the scores counting toward the team total. Teams of 3 will be allowed if a team of 4 cannot be formed. If a team of 3 cannot be formed, individuals will be accepted.

Check-in for the contest will be at the fairgrounds on Jan. 23, from 8-9:30 a.m., with the contest starting at 10 a.m.

Teams will judge four classes of animals: keep/cull gilts; live carcass evaluation; market hogs; and commercial gilts. There will also be two short assessments, each containing approximately 12 questions. The first will focus mostly on general farm practices, and the second will focus on meat quality and characteristics as they relate to pork production.