CHAPTER XIV 

 SELECTING A BOAR FOR COMMON SOWS 



There are thousands of pure-bred boars bought annually for 

 use in the herds of farmers who do not care to grow hogs except 

 for the open market, and while the selection of a boar for this pur- 

 pose is of much importance, yet it is not so necessary that the buyer 

 should be a student of pedigrees as in the case of the breeder of 

 pure-breds, but it is of vital importance that the farmer buy a pure- 

 bred boar and that the boar be not only well bred but a good indi- 

 vidual of the easy-feeding, early-maturing sort, and himself vigor- 

 ous and masculine. Such a boar will add several times his cost in 

 the feeding and quick-maturing qualities of his pigs from common 

 sows. Sometimes conservative farmers do not like to pay the price 

 asked by breeders for their good hogs, yet I feel sure it is false 

 economy, as the better ones will prove the most profitable. I once 

 saw a farmer outbid a breeder for a good boar, and he got him at a 

 higher price than many breeders will pay, saying, "I never stop at 

 any reasonable price for a good boar to sire pigs for the market." 

 This man was a breeder of pure-bred cattle and knew the value of a 

 good sire, and bred and fed hogs at a profit. 



Buy the Boar Early. To the farmer who wishes to purchase 

 a boar for use as a producer of good feeding hogs for the market, I 

 would urge that he not wait too long as many do, but that he 

 buy the boar early, while the herd from which it is to come is not 

 all culled, so that he may get a better choice and the pig may become 

 accustomed to his new home long before he is to be used. 



When the pig first comes to his new home he should be given a 

 good-sized grass lot to exercise in ; a dry, warm place to sleep, and 

 where other pigs or hogs cannot worry him by running along the 

 division fence. Take good care of him, feeding a good ration that 

 will make him grow rather than fatten him. Give him plenty of 

 good, clean water. Handle him as frequently as possible that he 

 may become gentle. A boar can run with sows under proper con- 

 ditions, but I have known men to buy a boar, and as soon as he 

 arrives turn him in with a lot of sows, and they would almost ruin 

 him, chasing him about the lot until he would pay no attention to 

 them, and the result would be a letter of complaint to the seller, 

 claiming that the boar was no good. Many a good boar has been 

 replaced for no other cause than poor judgment in starting to use 

 him. We replaced one a few years ago, and this discarded boar 

 got ninety-six pigs for a neighbor who took him at our request. A 

 man must have ' ' horse sense " if he is a successful hog man, and he 

 must use it at all times. A boar pig at $50 to use to produce pigs* 

 for market will add value enough to the pig crop that he gets, to 

 pay for two or three such boars value in finish, feeding quality, 

 uniformity and color, all of which go to help top the market when 

 they are sold. 



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