FARM ANIMALS 227 



THE RAZORBACK AS COMPARED WITH THE PURE 

 BREEDS AND GRADES 



The quality of all animals on the average farm 

 is undergoing a gradual improvement. We, there- 

 fore, see fewer razorbacks than formerly except 

 in some of the less cultivated parts of the Soutn. 

 The razorback hog differs from the improved 

 breeds not only in general form of the body, length 

 of the leg, shape of the head, but also to some 

 extent in the length of the intestines and its general 

 capacity for utilizing food in an economic manner. 

 In a number of tests in which razorbacks have 

 been compared directly with pure breeds like 

 the Poland China and Berkshire it appears that 

 it costs about one-half cent per pound more to 

 produce pork on razorbacks than on the pure 

 breeds or on crosses between razorbacks and 

 pure breeds. In the case of skim milk it appears 

 that razorbacks are capable of utilizing this food 

 in as economic a manner or even more successfully 

 than pure breeds. This may be due to the fact, 

 however, that razorbacks do not do well on con- 

 centrated grain rations of great size. They always 

 require an abundance of pasture and more bulky 

 food than do pure breeds. Razorbacks are gen- 

 erally objectionable for several reasons. They 

 do not fatten uniformly. Some may put on weight 

 rapidly and others slowly so that a pen of them 

 cannot be kept in the same condition of fatness. 

 Then, too, the form varies greatly as well as the 

 firmness of the meat. Moreover, they cannot 

 be forced to as large size as is easily accomplished 

 with pure breeds. There is, therefore, no excuse 

 for raising them since pure bred boars of excellent 

 quality can be obtained for $25. The claim 



