84 JOUICV.VL OP THE DErAltTME-M OF AgKICULTUHE. JuLY, 1922. 



a kind of jet-black skin, Avliicli is not liked by bacon curers, because 

 of the fact that the black pigment is likely to appear in the belly 

 bacon, and so reduce the value of a bacon. side considerably. On the 

 other hand, a distinct lack of pigment is perhaps even more undesir- 

 able, especially under South African conditions, as it is the intensity 

 of pigment that affords ])rotection from sunscald and sunburn. It is 

 my experience that imported Large Blacks are invariably heavier 

 coated, and liave more intense pigmentation, than Large Blacks bred 

 in the Union; moreover, that the imported stock in the course of time 

 l)ecomes noticeably thinner coated, whilst the pigmentation also 

 becomes less intense. These are changes no doubt caused by our 

 climatic conditions. 



In size the Large Black may be considered to be among the 

 biggest of the breed. " Sudbourne Arab," an imported boar, used in 

 the Elsenburg herd for no less than seven years, scaled 730 lb. 

 at maturity. Mature sows will ordinarily weigh, depending upon 

 their condition, from 400-550 lb. Boar pigs and gelts at 87} months 

 of age, have averaged just over 200 lb. in live weight. In the case 

 of weaners, which are ordinarily taken from their mother at 8 weeks 

 of age, the average weight i)er pig of a number of litters during the 

 l)ast five years, has been approximately 30 lb. 



The comparative early maturing character of the Large Jilack is 

 evident from the fact that with average good care and management 

 it is possible to have them ready for the bacon factory, i.e. about 180 

 lb. in live weight at just on 8 months. Naturally there is considerable 

 difference in the early maturing of different strains. Individuals 

 belonging to those strains that are comparatively short in body and 

 consequently very deep, are more early maturing than those from 

 strains, whose outstanding characteristic is great length of body witji 

 correspondingly less depth. 



As baconers, the piue-hred Large Black has not as yet found 

 much favour in South Africa, though in England where they have> 

 won some of the highest honours in recent years, pure-bred Large 

 Blacks have been very favourably commented upon in respect of their 

 bacon qualities. It would appear that it is primarily a matter of 

 selection to produce the type of pure-bred Large Black that will meet 

 the requirements of the bacon factories. It is common knowledge that 

 (juitc. a number of noted breeders of pure-bred Large Blacks claim 

 that they are dual purpose pigs, and not strictly baconers. My own 

 experienc<' is that both statements can be made to be true, as botli 

 conditions can be satisfied to an appreciable extent by selection and 

 breeding for the type required. 



For cross-breeding purposes the Large Black breed has undoub- 

 tedly proved itself eminently suited to conditions in most parts of the 

 Union. In the great majority of cases cross-breeding has been 

 practised by the use of a pure-bred Berkshire boar on Large Black 

 sows, mostly of pure breeding. This undoubtedly has proved to be, 

 and is still to-day, the most popular cross throughout the country to 

 meet the requirements of our bacon factories, which for the most part 

 are well satisfied with the class of baconer so producetl. To a lesser 

 extent Middle White boars, and also Tamworth boars have been put 

 to Large Black sows in the production of baconers. Where the Middle 

 White boar is used a good proportion of the off-spring is ordinarily 

 white in colour, and, therefore, objectionable on account of the 

 liabilitv to sun-scald. 



