FITTING SWINE FOR SHOW. 287 



Hogs intended for show purposes should have abundance 

 of exercise. Many good show hogs are ruined by being con- 

 fined in too small a pen or yard. In such instances they go 

 lame, lose the power of their limbs, and other things which 

 would be very objectionable from a show ring standpoint. 



If the hogs are not coming on quite as fast as you would 

 like them and have not quite as much finish as you would 

 like, feed some whole milk, as whole milk is the best feed 

 available for fitting a hog for show purposes. The only 

 objection to the use of the same is that it is rather costly. 

 Next to whole milk, skim-milk and oil meal probably stand 

 second. 



Before going out on a show circuit it is well to wash the 

 hogs with a good brush, soap and luke-warm water. This will 

 clean the scurf out of the skin and present the skin and hair 

 in much better condition than it otherwise would be. Wash- 

 ing, practiced at least once or twice a week before com- 

 mencing the fair circuit would be found to be very helpful. 

 The feet should be trimmed and kept short. This will aid 

 very much in keeping the hog on his feet. If the toes are 

 long and allowed to grow out, the tendency will be for the 

 animal to go down on its pasterns. 



Be very careful of the ears of show animals. Do not nip 

 them or put in labels which will in any way interfere with 

 the shape of the ear. This is especially true in those breeds 

 which have fine ears and which are of a drooping nature. 



Another important point to be considered is the training 

 of the hogs at home to show well. No man should take a hog 

 out to an exposition or fair who has not spent some time 

 in training him to show at home. A hog which is a little 

 inclined to be weak in the back can usually be held up 

 fairly well by walking him around and keeping the head 

 down. The general tendency is, however, for a hog which 

 has never been shown to get his head up and back down 

 when it is taken into the ring with strange animals. 



In the show business every little point counts, and each 

 and every man who hopes to be successful will be very much 

 benefited by studying all the little details. It is the giving of 

 attention to details that counts and the man who masters 

 this part is the man who will be successful in show yard 

 contests. 



