JUDGING SWINE 103 



Importance of strong bone. In our judging and selec- 

 tion of breeding swine greater attention will have to be 

 given to strength and quality of bone than has been given 

 in the past. This comes from a changed method of pro- 

 duction, in which we will no longer do extensive lot 

 feeding, but will produce our pork by means of grazing 

 crops. It is not so much a great size of bone that is 

 desired as moderate size with quality. Too much size 

 without quality would not be desirable from the stand- 

 point of the butcher. A strong bone is wanted to support 

 the weight of the animal in the larger amount of walking 

 that will have to be done in the gathering of its food 

 supply. 



Vitality and prolificacy. In a herd of breeding swine 

 vitality and prolificacy are of considerable importance, 

 and on them to a large extent depends the outcome. 

 Care and attention are continually required to maintain 

 the required vitality and prolificacy, and under the condi- 

 tions with which we surround most of our pure-bred 

 herds there is a strong tendency toward over-refinement. 

 This lack of vitality and prolificacy is not so noticeable 

 in the body form as in the weakened breeding powers 

 manifested. In the sows, with a lack of these qualities 

 we have irregular and abortive breeders, lessened fe- 

 cundity, and low milk secretion. These weaknesses seem 

 to accentuate themselves as they go from one generation 

 to the next, but fortunately they are ultimately auto- 

 matically eliminated. 



Breed type. All our breeding swine should possess 

 some breed type, whether the object is pork production 

 or the production of breeding animals. By breed type we 



