How to Wash Your Show Pig's Ears

It doesn’t take very long for 4-H members to learn that a large part of showing their pig in 4-H competitions is making sure the pig is properly fitted. Fitting is the presentation of the pig. Before the pig ever steps into the show ring the exhibitor should have made sure that the pig is bathed, the crusties are wiped from the corners of the eyes, and that owner is neatly dressed. It is not uncommon for a person, especially a first-time competitor, to forget about washing their pig’s ears when they are bathing the rest of the pig. Read on to learn how to wash your show pig's ears.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Water
• Hose
• Washcloth

1. Resist the urge to use the hose to wash your pig’s ears. Pigs are unable to protect themselves from the water from filling their ear canals. Getting water in their ears makes pigs very irritable. Irritable pigs do not behave themselves in the show ring.

2. Get a washcloth wet. Hold the washcloth in one hand. With the other hand Expose the inside of the ear, at this point you pig should be so comfortable with you handling it that it won’t mind you holding its ear. Using the wash cloth scrub vigorously at the inside of the ear flap, you are trying to remove any dust, dried pig food and ear wax from the skin.

3. After cleaning the inside of the ear allow the ear to flop foreword. Re-wet your washcloth and use it to scrub the outside of the ear flap.

4. Now that the inside and the outside of the pigs ear is scrubbed you need to concentrate on cleaning the part of the ear where the ear connects to the skull. The dirt and dead skin caught here is often caked on, you may want to use a dampened toothbrush to help free the grime. The good news is that most pigs love having this part of their ear scratched.

5. Repeat the process with the other ear.

6. Just before going into the show ring take a second to gently re-wipe the pig's ears.