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'What is the best type of pig to rear and feed for marketable purposes? 



'An animal possessing the following points is considered a type of pig to suit alike the breeder, 

 feeder, and consumer of the United Kingdom : 



'I. Neat head. The pig that is very long in the head is usually narrow between the eyes, 

 has seldom a very strong constitution, and has rather more bone than is required. On the other 

 hand, the pig that is very short in the head is usually too fat, too heavy in the fore end, thick 

 in the neck, and heavy in the shoulders. Neat in the head means neither too long nor too short 

 a nose. The ears should be fairly large, soft, and pliable, and should fall a little to the front 

 without actually being lopped. 



'II. Light neck and shoulder. The coarser parts of a side of bacon and those which fetch 

 the lowest price are the neck and shoulder. The lighter these parts the better the side and the 

 higher the price it will make. 



'III. Deep heart and well sprung ribs. Pigs are usually deficient in these points, which are, 

 perhaps, the most valuable of those here enumerated. For stock purposes, breeders should, 

 therefore, select only those animals which have these characteristics strongly developed. 



'IV. Thick loins. A pig with a good loin is almost invariably well ribbed, and has a strong 

 constitution. From a breeder's and feeder's point of view, a good loin is most essential. 



'V. Stout thighs. This means a pig thoroughly well developed in the hams. The hams are 

 the most important parts of the animal, and, in the case of pigs killed for the ham and middle 

 trade, the most valuable of all, provided they are not too fat. 



'VI. Short legs. A pig that is long in the leg is nearly always flat in the ham and lacking 

 in plumpness. 



'VII. Long and silky hair. Good hair is an indication of strength of constitution as well as 

 lean meat. The absence of hair generally proceeds from close breeding, and indicates a tendency 

 to excessive fatness. 



'VIII. A long side of moderate depth, with thick flank. 



'This type of animal should be aimed at, whether thoroughbred, half-bred, or common bred pigs 

 are kept. 



'To produce pigs having the qualities enumerated above, the first consideration must be the selection 

 of the boar. It is said that the boar is half the herd. Even this estimate undervalues his power of 

 reproducing his like. It is, therefore, all-important that a boar possessing the particular points de- 

 scribed should be obtained. 



'At present the improved Large White Yorkshire and the Large Black appear to be the breeds 

 which possess the required points. A sire of one of these breeds should therefore be selected. 



'The pig that commands the highest price is an animal which when well finished and not over fat, 

 weighs 12 stone (168 Ibs.) dead, or about 15 to 16 stone (217 to 224 Ibs.) living. A good pig ought 

 to arrive at this weight at the age of seven months from birth. 



'In selecting a sow there are a few points which a good specimen should possess, in addition to 

 these mentioned for the boar. The sow should be docile and should have at least twelve teats, of an 

 equal size, and evenly placed well forward on the belly. Sows having large flat teats generally secrete 

 very little milk, and on this account prove bad mothers. The fineness of the hair, skin, and bone all 

 indicate a good quality of flesh, and an animal that is likely to become a good mother. 



'FEEDING. 



'Pigs should be well fed, but not over fed. It is only when fed regularly that pigs give most satis- 

 factory results to the feeder. 



'During the first half of the sixteen weeks which a sow goes in pig she should be allowed to run 

 on grass, and should receive a limited amount of other food. For the last eight weeks she should be 

 treated more generously, so that she may be in good condition, but not too fat, at the time of farrow- 

 ing. During the time the sow is rearing her litter, she should receive as much good food as she will 

 take, consisting of boiled potatoes, Indian meal porridge, pollard, bran, and skim milk. 



At three weeks old the young pigs begin to eat, and at this time should be supplied with skim 

 milk, separated milk, or fresh buttermilk, which may be mixed with a little pollard, bran and boiled 

 potatoes, and given twice or three times daily. For feeding the young pigs a special trough should be 

 provided, which should be thoroughly scalded with boiling water every few days. Care should be 

 taken to prevent the young pigs having access to the sow's food. When eight weeks old the young 

 pigs may be weaned. After weaning they should receive the same quality of food in a sloppy con- 

 dition, and be allowed a little exercise. 



'When the pigs have reached about 1 cwt. in live weight, the amount of exercise allowed them 

 must be limited. The food should now consist of boiled potatoes broken up and mixed whilst hot 

 with a quantity of raw Indian meal and pollard, or barley meal. After the pigs have eaten as much 

 as they appear to require, a small quantity of buttermilk, skim milk, separated milk, or kitchen refuse 

 should be added, to induce them to clean up all the food given them. The quantity of food which a 

 pig should receive is just what it will eat up clean, no more and no less. Turnips and mangolds are 

 sometimes used instead of potatoes, but potatoes give by far the best results. 



'When being fattened, pigs should be fed three times a day. The food ought to be brought to a 

 temperature of 90 deg. F., by direct heating or by the aid of hot water. By so doing much of the 

 food is saved in the animal's body for the production of fat. 



'The addition of oats to the food of pigs which are being finished improves the whiteness of the 

 fat and makes the flesh firmer. The pigs should therefore receive oatmeal or bruised oats during the 

 three or four weeks previous to the time at which it is intended to kill the animals. During this period 

 they should be allowed neither turnips nor mangolds. When the food contains a large proportion of 

 brewery or distillery by-products the fat produced is soft and of a yellowish colour, and the meat is 

 not of good flavour. The excessive use of such products is therefore to be avoided. 



'Every farmer should try and breed the store pigs he requires, because, in the first place, a pig 

 eight weeks of age should not have cost more than 8s. ($2.00) to produce, whereas more than double 

 this amount has generally to be paid in the open market for such a pig. Furthermore, pigs reared on 

 the farm fatten more readily, and are therefore more economical than pigs bought in the open market. 



'Great care should be exercised in keeping the houses in which pigs are kept clean and comfortable. 



'Cleanliness of the sties and feeding of pigs on suitable food are quite essential if the animals are 

 to be kept in a healthv condition.' 



