Feeding and Handling the Herd 23 



possible, since these dates determine in most classifications 

 whether the pig shall show in the junior or senior class. 



MATING 



Two general systems are followed in the handling of 

 sows at mating time. The first is to bring each sow as 

 she comes in heat to the boar for service hand-coupling; 

 the second, that of allowing the boar to run with the sows. 



Systems. 



The best system to follow will be determined by the 

 conditions. The farmer who has only eight to ten sows 

 to breed finds the practice of turning the boar out with 

 the sows to be satisfactory, as a rule. The chief advan- 

 tages of this system are that it does not require the in- 

 dividual attention and time of a man when each sow is 

 bred; and secondly, the boar is under conditions which 

 permit him to take plenty of exercise. It is sometimes 

 urged, also, that the chances of missing a sow when she 

 comes in heat and not getting her bred are reduced to 

 a minimum in this system. When the number of sows 

 to be bred is well within the number which the boar is 

 capable of breeding in a given season, and when it is not 

 considered essential to know the exact date when each 

 sow is bred, there is little in the practice to condemn. 



When the number of sows in the herd is larger than can 

 be taken care of safely by one boar, it is doubtful whether 

 this is the best system, unless there is a surplus of boars 

 of equal merit available. Too often the tendency is to 

 expect the boar to get as many sows in pig under this 

 system as could be done with safety when the services 

 are regulated by hand-coupling. The results are that 



