259 



HOG CARCASS, NO. VI. 



Breed Berkshire cross 



Feeding- Swill fed 



Live weight .193.5 lbs. 



Dressed weig-ht 165 lbs. 



Dressing percentage 85.27% 



Weight after 48 hours chilling 163 lbs. 



Loss in shrinkage 2 lbs. 



Percentage shrinkage 1.25% 



Weight of the different cuts and percentage of same : 



Cttts. Weight. Percentage. 



Hams 32 lbs. 20.00% 



Loins 39.5 " 24.23% 



Bellies 24.5 " 15.03% 



Shoulders 14.75 '' 9.05% 



Head 14.75 " 9.05% 



Spare ribs 4 " 2.4 % 



Leaf lard 5.25 " 322% 



Back fat 23.25 " 14.1 % 



Feet 3.5 " 2.16% 



In stndying the above tabulations the closeness of the con- 

 test is very evident. All awards were based upon the dressed 

 weight percentage and the percentage of the three most valu- 

 able cuts, i. e., hams, loins and bellies. 



That the first award fell to a swill fed hog was a surprise 

 and entirely unexpected, yet this animal showed a better profit 

 to the breeder, even at an equal food cost, and a better profit to 

 the market. Figures conclusively demonstrate that larger profits 

 accrue to both breeder and market from the medium weight 

 hogs. Carcasses dressing from 150 to 165 pounds are in greater 

 demand because of the larger profits realized by the market and 

 the earlier and cheaper these weights can be attained together 

 with less waste through dressing the greater will be the profits 

 to the breeder. 



In comparing the above percentages it will be seen that the 

 swill fed hogs dressed out better, that is, there were less amounts 

 of offal, and showed less loss through shrinkage in cooling which 

 speaks liighly for this class of hog. They also stood high in 

 amount of cuts. 



We have no data at hand from which to compile statistics 

 giving the actual profit realized by the breeders of the six car- 

 casses entered in this contest, but there is no question that the 

 above weights were produced most cheaply in the swill fed ani- 

 mals. It is to be hoped that in future contests of this nature 



