PRINCIPLES OF SWINE BREEDING 45 



Ohio, the place of origin of the breed mentioned. The 

 average number of pigs farrowed is much less than this, 

 of course, and for no breed does it exceed ten head. 

 Most breeds will average between six and ten head to 

 the litter, the fat or lard type of hogs generally farrowing 

 the smaller numbers. As to the most desirable number 

 to have, it is never desirable for a sow to have more pigs 

 than she has mammae. Most sows have 13 possible 

 functional mammae. This number is, however, too large, 

 and as a rule ten is as many pigs as one can expect to 

 handle and care for in one litter. 



The number of pigs per litter and their sex is to a large 

 extent beyond our control. The boar has but little in- 

 fluence on the number, and in most cases it is determined 

 by the sow. In attempting to correct troubles with defi- 

 cient litters, we should first look to the sow for the 

 possible trouble. A great many swine breeders seem 

 to have the impression that there are direct means 

 whereby the number of pigs to the litter can be increased. 

 Such, however, is not the case, and the only thing that 

 can be done is to keep the sows and boars in the best 

 breeding condition. Above all, the sow must not be too 

 fat, she should be properly fed, her reproductive func- 

 tions must not be overtaxed, and she should have suffi- 

 cient exercise to give her the best breeding condition. 

 Practically the same management should be applied to 

 the boar, for at times the small litters may be due to lack 

 of sexual vigor and prepotency in the boar. With care 

 being taken to see that the boar and sow are both kept in 

 the best of breeding conditions, one should be able to 

 secure the largest litters possible with the individuals at 

 hand. 



