The Rural Voice, 1979-01, Page 43Farming Around the World
pPP�,
Pig races
are the latest
Horse races, turtle races and now the
newest races of all—pig races.
Pig races? Well, according to Roy
Holding of Galva, Illinos his pigs are the
fastest racing pigs in the world and they
may be the only racing pigs in the world.
"There are three things people feel
about pigs—all false—that they are dirty,
dumb and slow," said Holding. 52, an
advertising executive. "A pig is really a
very smart animal, probably the smartest
of all barnyard animals. How long does it
take a kindergarten kid to learn to put on
his galoshes? How long does the teacher
have to fight that? These kids have come
all this way in just two weeks."
Holding was hoping that this year one of
the pigs would go the distance under 3.1
seconds "one tenth of a second better than
last year's record."
Holding first came up with the idea last
year and when he tried it at the annual
Midwest Farm Progress Show it was a
smash success with more than 45.000
-_i
persons attending the three days of racing.
The racing pigs were back at this year's
show in Taylorville, ill.
Purchased from a farmer, the pigs are
now given a special diet. Holding uses a
bell and the Pav lovian principles of
repetition and reward to train the 25
females.
Twice a day, he herds theminto a five -pig
chute at one end of the hog barn, then
rings the bell, opens the gate and releases
them to run head -long toward the feed.
Holding says the porkers eventually de-
velop a keen competitive spirit.
Microwaves
in agriculture
Microwaves may gradually play a more
important role in the business of agricul-
ture.
An American firm, McDonnell Douglas
Corp., have developed a new microwave
vacuum system which is being tested to
W.D.HOPPER &SONS
Water Well Drilling
R.R.2 SEAFORTH
Members of the Ontario Water Well Assoc.
. Prompt Reliable Service
. Free Estimates
. 4 Modern Rotary Rigs
Call Collect
Neil
James
Durl
Seaforth
Seaforth
Seaforth
527-1737
527-0775
527-08281
'Where Hopper Goes the Water Flows'
SINCE 1915
Wedding Bells...
and Flowers
So, your wedding date has
been set, and now you are
maki.sg the arrangements.
Your flower order is
important. It
can help to
make the
day, and
also provide
many
pleasant
memories.
We would
count it
a privilege
to serve you
on this glad
occasion.
Listowel Florist Ltd.
IdV=Genet
LIf1OMR. OMTYIO
170 Wallace N.
Listowel
Phone 291-2040
When you "say it with
flowers" from Listowel Florist,
"you've said it all."
United No. 461
FTD No. 752675
McGAVIN'S
FARM EQUIPMENT,
LTD.
Sales and Service
527-0245
Seaforth
Walton, Ont.
Established 1936
We specialize in a complete line
of farm Equipment including
887-6365
Brussels
mar
L.EVL.Af W
SPEr V+NEW HOLLAND
THE RURAL VOICE/JANUARY 1979 PG. 43