370 Pork Production 



Prime heavy hogs. 



As the name indicates, the hogs included in this class 

 must be thick fat and heavier than is common. In 

 addition they must be smooth and well finished. The 

 class is largely made up of barrows, but a few "clear" 

 sows (not seedy or shelly) may be included. They are 

 sometimes designated as "Heavy Loin hogs," "Fat 

 Backs," or merely "Prime Heavies." Owing to the 

 increased cost of production and the growing tendency 

 for the market to prefer the medium and lighter weights, 

 comparatively few hogs are now fed to these weights. 

 Most of the hogs in this class weigh from 350 to 400 

 pounds. 



Prime Heavy hogs dress on an average of 82 to 84 per 

 cent chilled carcass to live weight, head on and leaf lard 

 in. 1 Chilled carcasses weigh about 2^ per cent less than 

 green or warm carcasses. Hogs of this class are chiefly 

 used for making heavy loins, fat backs, dry salt bellies, 

 skinned hams, picnic hams, Boston butts and plates. 

 With certain market demands, however, they are cut 

 into the same products as heavy packing hogs. 



Butcher hogs. 



Hogs of this class weigh from 180 to 350 pounds, being 

 redivided into the subclasses, heavy, medium, and light, 

 according to their weight. In each of these subclasses 

 they are designated prime, good, or common according to 

 their killing qualities as indicated by their quality, condi- 

 tion, and form. This class as a rule is largely made up 

 of barrows from six to twelve months of age, although 



1 The figures on dressing percentage of the different classes 

 of hogs given in this section were supplied by Wilson & Co., 

 Chicago. 



