286 



TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



and very heavy fleshing. A "ridgy" back is an evidence of lack 

 of fleshing, and a narrow, "sunfish" conformation is very faulty 

 for the same reason. A dip in the back, or sway-back conforma- 

 tion, greatly detracts from the appearance of the animal and 

 may indicate weakness of muscling; hence the cuts from the 

 back and loin may be lacking in lean meat. 



The sides of the hog should carry down straight and deep 

 from top to bottom, and should be neither long nor short, but 

 moderate in length. Very short hogs raised and fed for market 

 are open to objection because such a type does not grow rapidly. 

 On the other hand, extreme length is secured at the expense^of 



Fig. 89. Correct Type in the Fat Barrow. 



Poland-China barrow, Grand Champion at the 1913 International. 

 Bred and exhibited by John Francis & Sons, New Lenox, 111, Lengthy, 

 deep, symmetrical, and smooth. This hog has remarkable quality in head, 

 ear, hair, and bone. His legs are short and his pasterns strong. 



width and depth, and also at the expense of quick fattening 

 qualities. For these reasons, extremes in either direction are 

 to be avoided. When fattened for the market, the sides should 

 be thickly and smoothly fleshed so that every point along the 

 side fills out to meet the same straight line from shoulder to 

 ham. Wrinkles in the skin along the side are objectionable 

 because they injure the smoothness of appearance which is so 

 desirable, and if the wrinkles are very deep and are permanent, 



