SWiNE breeders' association. 57^ 



CARE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHOW HOG. 



Wil. E. MIDKIFF, SHELBY COUNTY, IND. 



As the majority of breeders who fit swine for exhibition use practi- 

 cally the same methods, I have no new theory along this line to present 

 to you, but will give you briefly an outline of the methods I have used. 

 To begin with, we must select our very best animals of suitable age to 

 compete in the various classes; yet, we must have judgment to select 

 those of proper form, that may be brought to a high state of per- 

 fection when finished. It is not always the tidy show pig of four to six 

 months of age that develops into the sensational yearling. This is an age 

 of keen competition, and it behooves us to l^reed only the best class of 

 stoclj as well as give it the best care and attention, or we will be left 

 behind by those who are more progressive and wise than we. 



It requires much skill and judgment to properly develop our animals. 

 No set rule can be laid down for the proper development of animals; 

 what some need, others may not. We will suppose one has already se- 

 lected his stock for the different classes from the two-year-old on down 

 to the six-months' class. We never confine in a small pen an animal 

 intended for the show ring, nor do we Iceep one alone. We want each 

 bunch to have clover, bluegrass or rape pasture of reasonable size, where 

 they take exercise and gi-ow bone and muscle as well as put on fat. They 

 should have good shade and be supplied with fresh water at all times; 

 but do not let them have access to running water or wallow holes, as 

 hogs used to having water to lie in can not stand the heat while on the 

 fair circuit. I use the "Improved Dewey water fountain," and find it 

 very satisfactory. 



In the feed line we need a variety of feeds to make a well-balanced 

 ration. Sweet skimmed milk, with good wheat middlings, ground oats 

 (finely ground), and as free from hulls as possible, corn meal and ground 

 wheat in connection with soaked shelled corn, constitute our feed ration. 

 The first part of each feed consists of about one-fifth ground wheat, one- 

 fifth corn meal, and the remainder ground outs and wheat middlings of 

 equal parts, mixed thoroughly with water, and what milk we have. It 

 is made just thin enough to pour, so the pigs will not be forced to take 

 too large an amount of water into the stomach in order to get what feed 

 they need. It is prepared immediately before feeding, so as not to fer- 

 ment, as we feed nothing sour to our hogs. The second part consists 

 of soaked shelled corn with a change to soaked oats or barley. About a 

 month before starting out on the circuit, we would commence gradually 

 to drop the milk from the feed and entirely discard it before starting 



37— Agriculture. 



