Pig Farming. 



85 



The use of the Large Black boar on Kolbroek sows, which are 

 ordinarily of a spotty colour similar to the Gloucester Old Spots, has 

 proved fairly successful. The progeny are usually solid black in 

 colour, and have developed into quite fair bacouers. Large Blacb 

 boars have also been crossed with Taniworth and Berkshire sows. In 

 the former cross all the progeny are black, as has been proved at this 

 Institution, and although they develop into first-class baconers, they 

 usually take an appreciably longer time — a matter of 2-3 weeks — to 

 reach marketable age, than the Berkshire (boar)-Large Black (sow) 

 cross. In the case of the Large Black (boar)-Berkshire (sow) cross, 

 this practice has not proved as profitable as the reciprocal, for the 

 reason that the Berkshire sow on the average is not as prolific nor as 

 successful a mother as the Large Black sow. 



Experiments at Elsenhurg. — During the past oh years experi- 

 ments have been carried on at this Institution, which have proved 



A vigorous youns boar of t^-ood length, but a tritie leggy and somewhat 

 tuo short of ear. 



conclusively the profitableness to the producer of the Berkshire (boar )- 

 Large Black (sow) cross, as well as their suitability in meeting the 

 requirements of the bacon factory. The progeny of this cross at 85 

 months have scaled over 200 lb. in live weight. The reports from the 

 bacon factories on this cross have been of a most encouraging nature. 

 They consider that the sides have good length, that the bellies are nice 

 and thick, and that the meat is comparatively streaky. 



In the experimental work above referred to, these Berkshire 

 Large Black cross-breds averaged 79.9 per cent, of dressed weight to 

 carcass, which may be looked upon as quite creditable, especially when 

 it is remembered that they were subject to merely good average treat- 

 ment in respect of feeding and housing. It was a noticeable fact that 

 these cross-breds were particularly good feeders, despite the fact that 

 in most cases the litters were large in number. 



In conclusion, reference must be made to the wonderful docility 

 of Large Blacks, a characteristic which is no doubt due to some extent 



