MARKET FOR PIGS BELLY UP; EXOTIC AUCTION `BUYER'S MARKET'

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Doyle Hinton is in the business of raising goats and miniature horses, but he bought nine pot-bellied pigs Sunday.

"I've never been a big fan of the pot-bellied pigs," said Hinton, of Georgetown, Ky. "But, people back home have often asked me about them. The market was `right' here, and I decided to take a chance with them."

The pot-bellied pig, an 80 to 90-pound porker, has been a hot seller at exotic animal auctions during the past three years. And, although they haven't gone belly up, they're not the big draw they once were.

"They sold well here this year, too," said Hinton. "They just didn't bring the big money they were bringing in 1989 and 1990."

Hinton and thousands of other buyers and sellers of animals and fowl converged on 5-H Ranch in Cape Girardeau County this weekend for the spring auction, now a "must do" event for exotic animal breeders and sellers.

"We've had a big turnout for this year's event," said Maxine Hale. She and her husband, Dave Hale, own and operate 5-H Ranch.

"(Sunday's) crowd was lighter than other days, but we've probably had as many as 4,000 to 5,000 people in and out of here each day."

Buyers and sellers were registered from a total of 40 states, including Hawaii, and from Canada, noted Mrs. Hale.

"We may have had more people, but many couldn't find a place to stay," said Mrs. Hale. "There just were not any motel rooms around."

The exotic animal auction was just one of several events that attracted people to Cape Girardeau during the weekend and motels were filled; overflow crowds went to Perryville and Sikeston for rooms.

Unofficially, the attendance for the three-day Southeast Missouri Home Builders Home and Garden Show here was just over 9,000. The SEmotion Relays, held on Southeast Missouri State University campus, attracted about 2,000 fans, to go along with about 1,000 athletes who here in town; and the Ozark Bodybuilding Championships, held at the Holiday Inn Convention Center, attracted more than 1,000 spectators. Another big event was a Missouri Conference on History, which attracted more than 150 participants.

"We've had a good auction," said Mrs. Hale. "There were times when the sales barn was full, and people were strolling throughout the park. This is actually the 20th sale for the 5-H Ranch. We've had eight spring sales and 12 fall sales."

Mrs. Hale said people were permitted in the auction barn by reservations only. "We have 730 seats, and they are usually all reserved for each session," she said.

"Some people will reserve a seat for all four days," she said. "Others will reserve seats for just whatever animals they are interested in."

Llamas, camels, zebras, miniature donkeys and Rhea birds are just a few of the many animals that went across the auction block.

Fifty pot-bellied pigs were sold at 10 p.m. each morning, and this year was a buyer's market for the Vietnamese pig, according to several buyers.

"I wouldn't have purchased nine of them last year," said Hinton. "They were going anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 a year ago."

"A sow and seven small pigs brought $35,000 a year ago," said Mrs. Hale. "This year, some of the smaller pigs have brought as little as $200."

What happened to the market?

"Oversupply and less demand," said Mrs. Hale. "The pot-bellied pig market started in 1988, and really zoomed during 1989 and 1990. But, now there are apparently more pigs than buyers."

"There's a lot more pigs out there now," said Harold Annis, of Route 1, Cape Girardeau. "Growers started getting two litters a year from sows, and have flooded many markets.

"The pot-bellied pigs will still bring attractive prices in some areas," said Annis. "I'm hearing of good prices in New Mexico, South Dakota, and a few other areas."

Annis and his wife, Dorothy, who live north of Cape Girardeau near the Trail of Tears area, raise a number of exotics, including mini-pigs and pygmy goats, and did manage some purchases during the weekend.

"We bought some Rhea birds and a pair of emus," said Annis. "The Rhea birds are similar to ostriches, except they're smaller."

"The pot-bellied pigs are smart," said Mrs. Hale. "They learn easily, and they can be house-trained. That's one of the attraction of the animals as a pet."

Some of the pigs are trained much like a cat, to use a litter box. Others, such as the Hales' pet pot-bellied pig, Tyrone, was trained to go to the door and squeal to be let out.

A number of animals were more of a seller's market this year.

"I'm well pleased with the price I got for my miniature donkeys," said Earle Davis,of Huron, Tenn.

Earle and Nellie Davis, who say they are "semi-retired," raise miniature donkeys.

"We visited the auction here last spring just to watch," said Davis. "This year, we decided to bring some animals for sale."

One of Davis's jennies brought the highest price paid for a miniature donkey.

"She brought over $6,000," said Davis, who added that the ballpark average for a jenny was about $2,000.

The Belted Galloway cattle also brought prices ranging from $800 to $1,500, and one camel brought as much as $12,000 the ballpark prices usually ranged from $8,000 to $10,000.