Ref. Ag PIPS010

North Iowa Area Community College Agriculture students will sponsor the annual “Pigs In The Purple Sales” in two different formats for 2010.  Both sales will be held at the NIACC Farm Lab. 

The first sale will take place over three days, March 9th, 10th, and 11th, using a private treaty bidding format.  Bids will be accepted until 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 11th.  Viewing of pigs begins at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 9th, at the NIACC Farm Lab Show Pig Barn.   Purchases can be taken following the bid closing March 11th, or on Friday, March 12th.  Approximately 35 January farrowed show pigs will be offered for this sale.

The second sale will be the familiar Pigs In Purple Sale Auction format on Tuesday, April 13th.  This sale will feature 55 head of January and February farrowed show pigs.  The sale will be held in the NIACC Farm Lab Shop with viewing at 4:30 p.m., a meal at 6 p.m. and the Auction at 7 p.m.  Al Conover will serve as Auctioneer for the sale.  The NIACC campus is two miles east of Mason City on Highway 122. 

The successes of buyers over the past 23 years has resulted in more than 400 swine show championships and class winners.  Pigs purchased in past years’ sales went on to be Champions at numerous major and county fairs.  All pigs are raised by the NIACC Farm Lab and have been successful at all levels of competition, from local youth shows to national swine shows.  NIACC’s reputation for honest, high performing and highest quality show pigs is indisputable, with pigs selling into 11 different states.  All of this year’s pigs in the sale are sired by Shipley Swine Genetics boars, which have a history of producing show winners and superior carcasses.  The sires of these pigs include: Hawkeye – the Champion Boar of the 2009 World Pork Expo, Goliath, Sumo, Truck, Dozer and Bull Dog.  NIACC students work with the agricultural technology staff and swine experts, to carefully select sires to be mated to proven sows to produce the pigs for each of these sales.  In fact, many of the sows have produced past champions or are littermates to previous show winners. 

The 23rd annual “Pigs In the Purple Sales” are sponsored by Agricultural Technology students at NIACC and provide many 4-H and FFA members the best opportunity to obtain high quality show pigs for youth projects at reasonable prices.  These sales also give our students learning opportunities to develop marketing skills through their involvement in all phases of planning and executing the sales.  Special appreciation goes to this year’s Animal Science II class, which has sale management responsibilities. 

For further information or any questions regarding the sale or show pigs, please contact Larry Eichmeier at 641-422-4225 or 641-529-1764.

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