104 Pork Production 



Type, breed, individuality. 



Although breeds of the bacon type are, as a rule, more 

 prolific than those of the lard type, the question of breed 

 advantage within the respective types will probably never 

 be determined satisfactorily for the reason that the va- 

 rious breeds are in a state of constant change, some on 

 the whole improving and others possibly deteriorating. 

 A statement claiming superiority for one breed over 

 another of the same type might be a fact at this time, but 

 when applied to the same breeds, ten years hence, might 

 be far from the truth. Furthermore, the task of deter- 

 mining from the herd-book records the pig-producing 

 abilities of two breeds for a given time would be an ex- 

 ceedingly tedious and laborious undertaking. The fact 

 that the number of pigs in the litter is not yet made a 

 matter of permanent record by all the breed associations 

 renders such a study impossible for several of our promi- 

 nent breeds. Until such records are reported and a 

 comprehensive study is made of them, the seeker after 

 breed information relating to this important point will 

 be limited in his search to the observations of himself 

 and others, and the more or less prejudiced claims of the 

 different breed advocates. 



Of the several factors which affect the breeding quali- 

 ties of a sow, individuality is one of the most important. 

 This is determined largely by the combination of heredi- 

 tary qualities represented in her breeding and make-up, 

 and which gives distinction to each of the individuals of 

 a herd. If one breed is superior to another, it is because 

 this breed possesses in the aggregate a larger number of 

 prolific individuals. The prolificacy of any herd or strain 

 of hogs, in the same way, is not a question of breed but 



