Since I work for a lot of show pig producers as well as commercial farms, I tend to have a lot of OB calls this time of year since this is the heavy farrowing season for county and state fair pigs. Of course, these calls come at any hour since sows do not know, nor adhere to, my normal work schedule:) When I got called out to assist a gilt Saturday afternoon, I asked Ava if she wanted to go, but she elected to stay with Dad instead. However, the owner seemed a bit disappointed that I showed up alone and called John and told him to come on over with the kids. So they showed up a little later. I haven't taught Ava the finer skills of pulling pigs yet, but maybe someday soon:)
There were a couple of litters of weaned pigs in a pen that the kids enjoyed petting and playing with. The owner even named a couple of these pigs after the kids. Ava mentioned when we were pulling out of the driveway that she forgot to say "good-bye" to Ava and Blaine (the pig versions).
Ava also enjoyed helping these little pigs eat from momma - I explained that all the grunting was the sow calling her babies to eat. Ava was concerned that one little guy was sleeping instead and missing out on supper, so she helped him out by waking him up and taking him to the dinner table:)
Blaine actually liked the "big pigs" a lot too - wanting to pet the gilt's leg. But he liked the kitties about as much as the pigs though - especially since there was one that he could pet (can't do that with any of ours).
And kind of surprisingly, through this whole adventure, neither kid asked or even looked at me strange, wondering what I was doing with my arm all the way up inside of the momma pig...
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