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Eder Showpigs, Rural, Nortonville, KS (2026)

10/04/2026

We are proud of this Dog Eat Dog daughter’s ability to continue to find appreciation from a variety of evaluators this season.

Class 31 Winner
Commercial Gilts
Kansas Jr. Livestock Show 2026

PBG Dog Eat Dog x “Tina” (22K Coulson OYE ‘24 acquisition)

Exhibited by Kinley Heikes of Heikes Girls Show Team.

Great job Kinley and crew. Onward!

10/01/2026

🌻𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 🌻: 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 🚀

Kansas State Fair 2026 gave our program a couple pretty special reasons to celebrate:

🏆 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐠

“𝗝𝗲𝘁𝘀𝗼𝗻” — 𝗣𝗕𝗚 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 × (𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗽 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 × “𝗧𝗶𝗻𝗮”)
𝗘𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀

🏆 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝟑𝟑 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐢𝐥𝐭
𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐬

“𝗝𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲” — 𝗣𝗕𝗚 𝗗𝗼𝗴 𝗘𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗴 × “𝗧𝗶𝗻𝗮”
𝗘𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀

But the part of this story we’re most proud of started long before either of these pigs walked into the ring.

These pigs found their homes the way we strive to place pigs: 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥.

A family committed to the program—not just one particular pig. Cell phone videos. Honest conversations.

Because their origin stories? At first glance, pretty unremarkable.

Jetson was a prospect we believed in, but he was limping and struggling through a bout of strep during our viewing week. He was out of a first-time sow, but one we believed had a pretty high eventual ceiling.

Toward the end of February, we talked about goals and a trio of gilts with lease options with a number of families. The Heikes family, again, deferred to us: 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶.

When the dust settled, Jetson was finally back together and needed a home. Jolene was a unique combination of being one of our favorites out of a sow line we’ve built around, but not really driving much conversation or excitement from anyone else.

We liked the pigs, and we trusted that in the right hands, it would be interesting to see what they could do.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱.

We celebrate these pigs and what they accomplished, but more than that, 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨.

We are privileged to work with so many incredible families. But sometimes you work with a family that helps make your program a better resource for all the other families in the same trenches—trying to get better and do better.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗽𝗶𝗴𝘀.

They work with us the way we believe this business works best: with trust, communication and a shared understanding of both the expectations we have for these animals and the unpredictable reality of trying to get a show pig to become what we hope it can be.

They are students of their craft. They ask questions. They study. They adjust. They are self-motivated learners.

So yes, we’re proud of the pigs.

We’re proud of our customers and every family that helps 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱.

But results like these remind us that success in this business has a lot less to do with simply finding 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘪𝘨 than we sometimes like to believe.

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

And this isn’t something we want with just one family—it’s the relationship we’re trying to build with every family in our program.

We see our role as creating the kind of pig that works and being a sounding board for the people feeding and managing the project. The family’s role is to give that pig every opportunity to become what it can be. When both sides communicate, keep learning and trust each other enough to understand those roles, everybody gets better.

That’s what it means to 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩.

The Heikes family happens to be a pretty great example of what that can look like.

It’s only the beginning of the fall, and we know well enough to soak up every second we get at a backdrop, at any level in this game.

Congratulations to Kate and Kinley of the Heikes Girls Show Team on their accomplishments in their respective divisions at the 2026 Kansas State Fair.

𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙖 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙀𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙥𝙞𝙜𝙨.

10/01/2026

BUILT WITH A DIRECTION.

Now that we’re a cycle or so deep, we’re excited to showcase the sires and genetic lines we selected with our customers’ goals in mind: elite, tough-built prospects that bring the extras on a foundation built to last.

And beyond the catching pens, genetics capable of driving a program forward:

making the next generation better.

Our 2026 sire lineup:

Heimer Hampshires
• Square One

Hofschulte Genetics
• Optic
• Power Source

Premium Blend Genetics
• Far N Wide
• Unstoppable
• World Famous
• Shock Value

Purple Power Boar Stud
• Proclamation

Sixty Six Ventures
• Low Key
• Unforgettable

Different boars. Different strengths. One direction.

Eder Showpigs | Nortonville, Kansas

09/16/2026

Future is bright for what the next generation will achieve. Late June borns. Ideal for late February- Mid March target shows. Private treaty offering.

We look forward to being a part of your success!

09/13/2026

“𝕁𝕖𝕥𝕤𝕠𝕟” 𝕚𝕤 𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕓𝕠𝕪.

After what was an obviously memorable evening in Hutchison, Kansas for the Heikes family— we also celebrate efforts with the featherweight at The Grand Drive 2026, and the work that the Heikes Girls Show Team puts into him on the daily.

Success with gas in the tank always feels hopeful in the early fall. We look forward to continuing to cheer for him.

“Jetson”
Reserve Light Weight Division Dark Crossbred
Kansas State Fair 2026
Exhibited by: Kinley Heikes
PBG Relentless x (PP Snapback x “Tina”)

His momma “Lizzie” shown by our customer Elizabeth Winger Young family in 2025 is a young sow from a real good litter —and is just getting started— exposed for some Decembers for 2027. 🤞🏽

09/11/2026

Hammer Season is upon us. If you are a long time listener, first time caller— interested in acquiring an Eder Showpig this Fall— now’s the time to dial… errr DM!

If live sales and internet auctions/ livestock haulers are more your thing— we wish you well— but you’ll find us here with our iPhone 16 doing our best.

09/03/2026

𝕂𝕖𝕖𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℍ𝕒𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕆𝕦𝕥 𝕆𝕗 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔻𝕚𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕤 𝟙𝟙𝟙🔨🐖
𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙁𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙀𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝙒𝙞𝙣 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝘿𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝘿𝙞𝙙.💃🏼🏆

A tip of the cap to Pinnacle Livestock Solutions for starting a conversation this week about show teams.

If you've had the chance to peruse the comment section, it clearly struck a nerve.

And I think that’s probably a good thing.

As we head into state fair season, I’ve been thinking about what actually bothers people about show teams—because I don’t think show teams themselves are inherently the problem.

𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿.

And around here, we’re pretty fond of hammers.

To be clear, 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸-𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭.
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼-𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺.

We’re pro mentorship. Pro qualified expertise. Pro finding people who know more than you and learning from them. Pro using every reasonable resource available to your family. And if someone’s expertise has value and you’re willing and able to pay for it, there’s nothing wrong with respecting that value with a check.
A paid show team is one way to build that system.

It isn’t the only way.

Heck, creating some semblance of one for Eder Showpigs customers is something we imperfectly strive for ourselves.

Good systems shorten learning curves. They surround kids with people who have already made a thousand mistakes and can help them avoid making every one themselves.

And yes—
𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗻.
Good.

We don’t want less excellence in this industry. We want more of it.
Buy the good one. Hire the coach. Find the mentors. Learn everything you can. Work your tail off. Use your resources.

𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗻.

But here’s where this particular hammer can find the ditch:

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀.

I see it in veterinary medicine all the time. Expertise eventually becomes so familiar that you forget what it was like not to know what you know.

Livestock is no different.

A well-supported kid still has to work. They still have to feed, walk, work hair, learn their animal, get beat, get better and eventually walk through that gate and execute.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹.

But somebody helped select the pig. Somebody understood the feed. Somebody recognized when something needed to change. Somebody taught them. Somebody hauled them. Somebody paid for it.

And somebody had already learned a whole bunch of lessons the hard way so that kid didn’t have to.

𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝘁𝗼𝗼.

Recognizing that doesn’t diminish accomplishment.

It should deepen gratitude for it.
And gratitude has a funny way of creating humility.

That’s why I struggle when criticism of show-team success gets dismissed with:

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘫𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴.”

Some people? Yah, they probably are.

But sometimes people aren’t jealous of success.

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹.

If people routinely leave interactions with your team feeling less connected, less important or less welcome in an industry that belongs to all of us, 𝙟𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙨.

And far be it from me, as a breeder, to hear a credible criticism that an Eder Showpigs customer made somebody else feel small and decide that’s none of my business.

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆.

𝘋𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭.

That woman worked.

She understood business, image and marketing before we called everything a “brand.” She surrounded herself with talented people and intentionally created the person the world came to know.

𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲.

And people still mocked her. They underestimated her intelligence. They called her a dumb blonde.

She didn’t need to convince herself everybody who disliked her was jealous.

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴.

That’s the Dolly aesthetic I want in the show barn.
Work like Dolly did.

Be ambitious. Find your people. Build your system. Use your resources. Become 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙛𝙪𝙡.

Because Dolly somehow figured out how to become larger than life without requiring everybody around her to feel smaller.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.

The system shouldn’t just teach a kid how to win.
𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘁.

Show teams create tribes, and there’s value in that.
Just make sure the matching shirt means:
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭.
Not:
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶.

There has never been a more important time to notice the first-year kid. To answer the dumb question. To congratulate the kid who edged you out on a coin-toss call. To help somebody who could never afford to hire you.

Teach your kids that being well-supported isn’t the same thing as being inherently superior.

Teach them their success can be both 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙚.
Because if we really mean "𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴," then the scorecard has to include more than banners.

𝗜𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

The families I admire most in this industry aren’t less successful.
Some of them are 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹.

You hate drawing into their class.
But you love having them in your barn.

They’ve figured out how to become really big without requiring everybody around them to feel small.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅.

And that’s how high-level competitors grow an industry instead of simply dominating one.

So as we roll into state fairs, bring every hammer you’ve got.

Bring the knowledge. Bring the livestock. Bring the coach. Bring the matching shirts. Bring the competitiveness and the ambition.

𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘵𝘰𝘰.

And if you’re fortunate enough to give a kid every advantage in the world, make sure one of those advantages is being surrounded by adults who teach them the humility 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱.

Know who you are.
Do it on purpose.

And when they slap that pig Grand—
𝗪𝗜𝗡 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗗𝗜𝗗. 💃🏼🏆

08/29/2026

🔬🧬𝕂𝕖𝕖𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕐𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝔹𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕊𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕆𝕦𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔻𝕚𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕤 𝟚𝟘𝟙 🔬🧬

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝗔𝘁-𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

This is my lab set-up.

During breeding week, it lives on my dining room table. Most of it is pretty inexpensive, and there isn't a computerized semen analyzer anywhere in sight.

But before I put several hundred dollars' worth of semen into a sow—and bet a litter on it—it allows me to answer one pretty important question:

𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩?

For a few hundred dollars, you can build this setup at home.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜 𝗨𝗦𝗘:

• Basic binocular microscope — mine came from Amazon (SWIFT SW380B)
• Microscope slides
• Disposable plastic pipettes
• Clean boar semen bottles and lids
• Insulated tumbler
• Digital meat thermometer
• Two reusable ice packs

You can piece this together online, and I highly recommend 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀.

𝟭. 𝗣𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗘

Gently rotate the semen bottle until any settling or clumping is no longer present, then draw a small amount—usually a couple mL or so—into a disposable pipette.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗯 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗽𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲.

This sounds silly to emphasize, but it took me a minute to figure out.

If it's sitting in the stem, put your finger securely over the tip and gently swing the pipette. Allow gravity and a little centrifugal motion to pull the semen into the bulb.

That's important because the 𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻-𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗯 is what we're going to submerge in the warming bath.

𝟮. 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗘

Fill an insulated tumbler with warm water and use a digital meat thermometer to bring it to approximately 𝟭𝟬𝟬°𝗙 (𝟯𝟳–𝟯𝟴°𝗖).

Submerge the bulb of the pipette, making sure the semen itself is below the waterline, and put the lid on.

I usually feed the pipette through the drinking opening in the lid and push the cover tight against it. That keeps the bulb submerged instead of allowing it to float back up.

𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.

Many I've worked with recommend 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝟬𝟬°𝗙, but I follow the stud's recommendation for their product.

Good studs appreciate the feedback and are usually excellent resources if something doesn't look right. Their goal is the same as ours:

𝗣𝗶𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱.

𝟯. 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗟𝗜𝗗𝗘

I don't want to warm a semen sample and immediately put it onto cold glass.

My sophisticated solution: 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺-𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲.

Microwave the packs for about 𝟯𝟬 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼—𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵, 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗵𝗼𝘁. If the heat doesn't feel evenly distributed when they come out, massage them a little to even it out.

Sandwich your slides between the warmed packs while you wait for your semen sample to warm.

𝟰. 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗟𝗜𝗗𝗘

After warming, get the semen back toward the pipette tip. Again, a finger securely over the end and a few gentle swings can help move it.

You'll probably encounter some air bubbles. Work through those until you're getting good semen drops, then place 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲.

Now, take a look.

𝟱. 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗪𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗢𝗥?

This isn't a computerized semen analysis, and I'm not pretending to generate a laboratory-grade motility percentage.

For an at-home field check, I'm asking:

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁? 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴? 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱/𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴? 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺? 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗯𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺?

The more good semen you look at, the more useful this becomes. You build a reference library in your head for 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲—and when something looks dramatically different, you notice.

𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗢 𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗔 𝗠𝗜𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗣𝗘?

𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿.

This isn't a tutorial on how to use your particular microscope. Ask your veterinarian friend, vet-tech friend, high-school biology teacher or community-college microbiology professor.

And if you don't have any of those kinds of people in your life, start building your community.

Bring baked goods. Bring donuts. Whatever it takes to establish a little goodwill. 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.

You don't have to be a veterinarian or reproductive physiologist to learn to focus a microscope and recognize whether s***m are moving progressively.

𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥: 𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗧𝗬 𝗦𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡 𝗕𝗢𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘𝗦

Some semen packaging is easily sampled. Some isn't.

I keep clean, purpose-made boar semen bottles and fresh lids on hand. If necessary, I can transfer a dose into a clean bottle so I can sample it and know what I'm working with.

𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. Don't create a contamination problem in the name of quality control.

𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗜𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗣𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗘𝗦𝗡'𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗖𝗞𝗠𝗔𝗡.

Breeding protocols are breeding protocols. I'm no genius at knowing the nuances of 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 sows (nor do I aspire to be).

There is no replacement for 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝘄𝘀 to gauge when to breed. Their reproductive history, heat detection, timing, insemination technique, fertility, semen storage and handling all matter. And good-looking semen certainly doesn't guarantee pigs.

This little lab simply helps answer one more question:

𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗜'𝗺 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻?

If it doesn't, knowing that 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥 gives you options: recheck it, check another dose, call the stud, choose another boar, or use it and follow with something stronger.

The risk isn't simply using a questionable sample.

𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗢𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲𝘀 𝟰 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀.

People ask what I'm breeding a particular sow to, and my answer is often:

𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗜'𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱.

Of course I make mating plans—but the first objective is still 𝗣𝗜𝗚𝗦.

At today's semen prices, and with how much the age and timing of a litter can affect its value, a few hundred dollars invested in a miniature semen lab is cheap insurance.

It won't tell you when to breed. It won't guarantee pigs.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

Know your sows. Know your timing. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵.

𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀.

08/24/2026

🎡🌽 𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕄𝕖 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕚𝕣 𝕌𝕡𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕤 🎡🌽

🏆𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀
🥉3𝙧𝙙 𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙇𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 — 4-𝙃 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙂𝙞𝙡𝙩
📍Missouri State Fair | Sedalia, MO

“𝓕𝓮𝓻𝓰𝓲𝓮”
𝗣𝗕𝗚 𝗥𝗨 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 × (𝗛𝗚 𝗜𝗰𝗼𝗻 × 𝗛𝗚 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼)

Shown by 𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗮 𝗚𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗹𝘀

Purchased through our 𝘽𝙞𝙙 𝘽𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙 this spring.

We’re proud of all the hard work it takes to get quality livestock to perform at this level. The consistency, daily effort, and hours put in at home are what make a finish like this possible.

A big thank you to 𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗮 𝗚𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻 & 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮 𝗚𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 for their support of our program and for executing the details to get Fergie to the backdrop.

Fergie will stay in production with the Guthals family, and we’re looking forward to seeing what she can do in her next chapter at Guthals Livestock!

𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨, 𝙇𝙖𝙮𝙡𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮!

Eder Showpigs

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08/29/2026

08/24/2026

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