FARM ANIMALS 197 



skill and intelligence must be exercised in this busi- 

 ness as in other forms of animal industry. In fact 

 the farmer cannot expect to obtain the best price 

 for his pork unless the pork answers the market 

 requirements in all respects. There are a number 

 of market classes of hogs as there are market classes 

 of beef steers and horses. The usual classes recog- 

 nized are prime heavy hogs, butcher hogs, packing 

 hogs, light hogs and pigs. Various other miscella- 

 neous classes of more or less importance also occur. 

 With regard to the weight required in these dif- 

 ferent market classes it should be stated that im- 

 portant changes have taken place in the fashionable 

 sizes of hogs during recent years. Thus, we can all 

 easily remember when the market tolerated and even 

 required immense hogs weighing from four hundred 

 to five hundred and fifty pounds and of mature age. 

 Later this kind of hog went out of style entirely and in 

 its place we had a demand for young hogs not over 

 ten months of age and weighing one hundred and 

 fifty to two hundred and fifty pounds . Within the past 

 year the pendulum of taste seems to be swinging 

 back again towards the heavy hog and a consider- 

 able demand is now felt for heavy hogs of mature 

 age. This is due to the fact that the packers must 

 have material from which to make lard and large 

 quantities of lard can be obtained from these heavy 

 hogs when in a fat condition. The market class 

 of prime heavy hogs includes animals weighing 

 from three hundred and fifty to five hundred 

 pounds. This is the extreme size of the fat lard hog. 

 Butcher hogs weigh from one hundred and eighty 

 to three hundred and fifty pounds and are divided 

 into different subclasses, light, medium and heavy, 

 according to weight. The butcher hog should show 

 the true lard form, viz. with a broad back, well-filled 



