222 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



Motherly Disposition of Brood Sow Essential. In addition to a careful 

 consideration of all the parts mentioned in the score card, the following 

 features and characteristics should be considered in selecting the sow. Select 

 the sow which is more roomy than the score card suggests and which at the 

 same time has a slightly arching back. The disposition and general behavior 

 should indicate motherly qualities. A gilt or sow of mean disposition or 

 lacking in motherly instincts, seldom gives satisfaction however good she 

 miy be in conformation. More can often be judged in this respect after the 

 sow has raised a litter, although one accustomed to handling hogs will not 

 go far wrong in selecting the young gelt. 



Select the sow that has 10 or 1.2 good nipples. After the first litter is 

 born there will be opportunity to judge of the sow's milking qualities which 

 should be taken into consideration in deciding whether or not she will be 

 retained for further breeding purposes. One should also guard against 

 selecting sows that are deaf or that have bad habits of catching and eating 

 chickens or being breachy. Deaf sows are sure to kill many of their pigs 

 by lying on them. 



In mating young sows to a large mature boar, or in using a young boar 

 on old sows, it is well to have some form of breeding crate to give the younger 

 animal advantages that are desirable and in many instances necessary. Patent 

 crates noted in swine journals serve the purpose best, although an ingenious 

 home device may answer. 



Selection and Care of the Boar. The boar should be a pure bred, repre- 

 sentative of his" breed in all instances and possess all of the most desirable 

 features and characteristics of this type and breed. He should be more compact 

 and will naturally possess heavier bone than the sow if he is a good individual. 

 He should combine size and quality and possess a masculine appearance as 

 he approaches maturity. He should have good feeding quality and mature 

 rapidly, which are characteristics highly desirable in pigs that are being grown 

 and fitted for the market. 



The pedigree or family from which the boar comes is deserving of more 

 consideration than it ordinarily receives. Breeders of pure bred hogs should 

 be particularly careful to confine their selection of both boars and sows to 

 the most popular and highly developed families, not forgetting, however, that 

 individuality must accompany good breeding. 



Securing the Best Results from Mating Hogs. In addition to having 

 good type the following suggestions are offered to insure good results from 

 mating. Too often there are no definite plans in mating. The number of 

 sows to be saved should be determined by the number of pigs it appears pos- 

 sible to feed and develop or dispose of to good advantage subsequent to far- 

 rowing time. Sows should be at least eight months old before being bred 

 and many prefer to have them 10 to 12 months old. Conditions must be suit- 

 able for giving sows and little pigs comfortable quarters if the sows are to be 

 bred early in the season. The gestation period of the sow is 112 days and 

 one should have in mind and record the date of farrowing when the boar is 



