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At an average viewing rate of about 1,000 per hour, people of all ages crowded around the swine farrowing display at the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center during the 2019 Iowa State Fair. Joyce Hoppes, consumer information director for Iowa Pork Producers Association, said there’s never a dull moment in that area of the building, thanks to the excitement that accompanies the birthing of piglets.
“It has become a must-see display for so many fair-goers,” she said.
People from all over the nation come to these displays to gain personal experience with farrowing. For some, it is their first interaction with animal agriculture and they experience it in a real-life setting, Hoppes said.
“This display gives the public an opportunity to engage with pork producers and to get answers to questions they might have about modern pork production,” she said.
Eight large, individual stalls line the back of the center, each with a sow ready to farrow at some point during the 11-day run of the fair.
The first farrowing display at the Iowa State Fair was in 1991. At that time, IPPA partnered with Kirkwood Community College for students there to provide care for the sows and piglets born during the fair.
From their very beginning, these displays have been innovative by allowing the general public to learn about one of Iowa’s largest agricultural sectors - pork production.
Today, faculty, staff and students from Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine are on-site throughout the fair to ensure appropriate and timely care to all animals.
After the fair ends, the sows and piglets are donated to FFA programs and FFA students for continued learning experiences and Supervised Agricultural Experience projects.
Although the initial intent of the displays was “to give the general public an opportunity to learn about pork production and see firsthand one segment … farrowing,” Hoppes said it’s easy to see that the display has accomplished far more.
The animals provide agricultural learning experiences for people who are not involved in agriculture. They allow veterinary students to gain direct experience caring for swine. And they provide hands-on learning opportunities for high school students who want to go into the pork industry.
2019 - Iowa Pork Industry Center
