388 



IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



I consider that large litters and ease of farrowing are the result of two 

 causes, namely, strong constitutional powers, and secondly, the activity of 

 the sows. I am often asked if the Yorkshire is not a comparatively wild 

 hog, and my reply to this is, ''decidedly not." On the other hand, the 

 sows, even when they are heavy in pig are very active, and I have seen sows 

 weighing five hundred and six hundred pounds spend almost the entire day 

 tramping over the pastures. That they are not wild is indicated by the fact 

 that from experience I have found that a twenty-six inch woven wire fence 

 will hold everything but the males at all times. 



But after all it is what the Yorkshire can do in the making of pork or 

 bacon that we are primarily interested. On this point I will say that I 

 have had no difficulty in bringing Yorkshire barrows to a weight of from 

 one hundred and fifty to one hundred and seventy-five pounds at from six 

 to seven months, this being largely done on pasture with a small amount 



First and Second Prize Winners, Improved Yorkshire Sows in Aged Class, 

 World's Fair, St. Louis, 



of slop daily. At this weight they are in about ideal condition for bacon 

 hogs, though I do not believe this is a profitable weight at which to sell. If 

 carried^forward they can be made to weigh from two hundred and seventy- 

 five to'three hundred and twenty-five pounds by the time they are ten 

 months old. 1 find at this weight that they are smooth and very popular 

 with theibuyer. They show little superfluous fat around the neck or on the 

 belly, and because of this they must necessarily dress out economically. 



Of course at nine or ten months, even though they weigh three hundred 

 pounds, they will look somewhat more leggy than the fat hog and expert hog 

 buyers who. have never handled the Yorkshires can scarcely ever estimate 

 their weight within twenty-five or thirty pounds. I have in mind one bunch 

 averaging three hundred pounds that were estimated at two hundred and 

 sixty pounds by the buyer. 



