Size of Litters 



99 



average size of which was 0.284 pig larger than their 

 second litters. Of these 243 sows, 176 produced their 

 fourth litters, the average for which was 0.227 pig larger 

 than their third litters. In the same way, it is deter- 

 mined that the fifth litters were 0.239 pig smaller than the 

 fourth, while the sixth slightly exceeded the fifth litters. 

 The seventh litters were very much smaller than the sixth, 



FIG. 8. Showing variations in the number of pigs in successive litters. 



while of the 18 sows producing eight litters, the eight 

 slightly exceeded the seventh. Only 7 of these sows 

 produced their ninth litters, and only 5 their tenth, but 

 with these litters, there was a decided decrease in their size. 



These results, expressed graphically in Fig. 8, will show 

 more clearly the fluctuations which may be expected in 

 the size of the successive litters of any individual sow. 



According to this curve, a sow may be expected to 

 produce an increasing number of pigs up to and includ- 



