07/02/2026
๐จ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ข๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ต๐ฝ
๐๐น๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ: ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐.
One of the biggest mistakes we see every summer is waiting until the week of the fair to clip.
If your pigs are protected from excessive sunlight, clip them early. We like to do the first full clip 2โ3 weeks before the show.
Why?
Because hair grows back.
That regrowth is your insurance policy. If you get a little too aggressive somewhere, you'll have time to soften the mistake instead of living with it on show day.
๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ
Clip the head and neck much tighter than the body.
The gilt pictured here is clipped nearly to a buzz on the head, then blended gradually using:
โช๏ธยผ-inch guard
โช๏ธโ
-inch guard
โช๏ธยฝ-inch guard
โช๏ธยพ-inch guard
โช๏ธ1 inch guard
From there, the hair transitions naturally into full-length hair over the shoulder and topline.
If you're new to clipping, don't start with the shortest guard.
Instead, begin with a ยพ-inch guard on the neck and slowly work forward. You can always remove more hair. You can't put it back.
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐
We recommend cleaning up around the ears for a sharper, cleaner appearance, but there's certainly room for personal preference here.
๐ง๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐บ
Don't forget the groove.
Carefully clip the midline groove to remove excess hair that can hide shape.
Start with a ยพ-inch guard and gradually shorten only if you still can't clearly define the groove.
See link in comments to a Dadson video that is very helpful at illustrating the process much better than I can relay with even 3 paragraphs of confusion. Shout out to Dadson Farms for their hard work creating such important content for our industry. Your efforts are an asset for Swine Project Leaders everywhere.
๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๏ธ๐น
Early clipping also gives the skin time to settle. Any clipper marks, uneven transitions, or harsh lines will soften as the hair grows back, making for a much more natural presentation on show day.
๐ง๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ด๐ ๐
If your pig has dark skin pigmentation, clipped areas can appear lighter immediately after clipping.
Expose those clipped areas to controlled sunlight over the next couple of weeks so the skin develops a more natural, even color.
Protect white skin with livestock sunscreen to prevent sunburn. See below for a link to Valley Vet product in the comments.
Start with about 15 minutes of sun exposure, watch carefully for any signs of burning, and gradually increase exposure over the following days.
A little planning now almost always results in a cleaner, more natural-looking pig when fair week arrives.
Looking for more show day tips? ๐ญ
I highly recommend spending some time on the Dadson Farms YouTube channel. Their library is packed with practical videos covering clipping, fitting, daily management, and show day preparation.
As with any educational resource, take what fits your program, leave what doesn't, and keep learning. Every great stockman borrows ideas from others while developing a system that works for them.
