PRACTICAL POINTS IN BREEDING 75 



pig-s of good size. If the sow proves a good breeder and 

 stickler, I would recommend raising two litters a year 

 from her till she is too old to produce well. In our own 

 business we are great believers in old breeding animals, 

 and sometimes keep them till ten to 12 years old." 



In many phases of swine husbandry the question of 

 location or climate has an important bearing. Where 

 mild weather is apt to be the rule in late fall and early 

 s[)ring, breeding for two litters a year will obviously be 

 considered in a different light than in a section much 

 farther north. The breeder in Canada or on the Atlan- 

 tic coast will modify many matters regarding breed or 

 feeds that are accepted gospel in the corn belt. Locally, 

 the extent and kind of pasture at the breeder's disposal, 

 like his other facilities and resources, will, to a greater or 

 less extent, influence his practices. 



Investigations show that the litters will average about 

 an equal division of sexes at l)irth. The United States 

 De|)artment of Agriculture received reports in 1907 of 

 the litters of 1.477 sows, in 24 states, which included 

 the Berkshire, Poland-China, Duroc- Jersey, Chester 

 \\1iite. Large Yorkshire, Hampshire, Tamworth and 

 Ohio Improved Chester breeds. The average litter was 

 about nine pigs to the sow, and of 13.285 pigs. 6,6^0 

 were boars and 6,625 sows. This is relatively 201 boar 

 pigs to 200 sow pigs, or almost an equal number of 

 each sex. 



INBREEDING 



Much has been said and written against inbreeding, 

 and it is a problem in dealing with wliich much judgment 



