DON'T be surprised to find a more balanced ratio of women to men in the pig breeding industry if attendance at Forbes' fortnightly pig sales is any indication.
The women are more likely seen close to the sucker and weaner pens as they have either their own small operation of a few sows as an alternative or independent income source, or farm with husbands or partners in a bigger piggery enterprise.
At Forbes' November pig sale, Jo Charlton, "Glenbowan," Trundle, sold 20 six-week-old Large White/Duroc suckers which made $125 each.
Ms Charlton has only been breeding free-range pigs for the past three years and now has six sows.
Her friend, Tash Skinner, also attended with 10 Wessex Saddle-back/Large White weaners, eight to 10 weeks of age, bred by her and partner Michael Allison, "Dawn Haven", Binnaway, which sold for $152 a head, topping the weaner market.
V.C. Reid and Sons pig agent, Murray Reid, Forbes, said it was the dearest sale all year for "little pigs" including suckers, weaners and young pork.
These ranged in price from $71 to $152.
"Today is probably one of the dearer sales we've had all year at Forbes," he said.
Christmas had certainly helped this market, although he said while porkers were dearer, they still had a lot of catching up to do as they had got quite cheap during the past couple of sales.
Heavy pork at 70 kilograms sold from $160 to $186 while the 50kg to 60kg range made from $130 to $176.
Mrs Charlton and her husband, Paul, bought the 330-hectare property three years ago intending to crop winter cereals and produce prime lambs.
This year's wheat crop yielded a little less than two tonne a hectare so the couple turned their efforts to pig production a few months ago.
They bought six Landrace sows and a boar, and so far the enterprise has returned good dividends.
Ms Charlton said they were now keen to increase sow numbers slightly in the short term.
She is pictured with her son, Josh, 3, and friends Will Allison, 5, and Emily Allison, 2, from "Dawn Haven", Binnaway, among her 20 suckers.