PRACTICAL POINTS IN BREEDING 'J'i^ 



Springy ; not depressed so the dew claws tend to drop on 

 the ground. It is highly important that deficiency in 

 bone and ligament be avoided by the selection of breed- 

 ing stock that will stand up well on its feet, and equally 

 as urgent that the breeder should keep in mind the dete- 

 riorating effects of feeding corn exclusively, and guard 

 against sacrificing proper framework because a carcass 

 of fat may appear less expensive. 



Breeding from immature animals is not to be com- 

 mended. It has no particular effect upon early maturity, 

 unless through the possible stunting of the pigs because 

 of the fact that their dam has not o1)tained her own 

 proper development. Mature parents will yield larger, 

 healthier and more robust litters, in every way better 

 equipped to bring the profit the owner is working for. 

 During pregnancy the sow is compelled to do double 

 duty in sustaining herself and building her young, and 

 if she is forced to provide growth for herself as well as 

 for a litter of pigs she cannot be expected to do full 

 justice in either behalf, even if, as is frequently not the 

 case, she is provided with proper care and food. A suc- 

 cessful Illinois breeder with large experience has well 

 said : "The common practice of each year selecting 

 young gilts to breed and breeding them to young boars 

 has done more to reduce stamina and prolificacy than 

 any other one thing; besides, it reduces the size and 

 number of pigs at birth. We have never discarded a 

 sow that proved a good breeder until she was so old that 

 she quit breeding. We have kept sows until ten and 

 12 years old, and one imtil she was 13. It does not 



