BEEEDIKG.] 



PIGS, 



[beeeding. 



grown boars being often savage, and difficult 

 to tame, and attacking men and animals, must 

 be deprived of their tusks. The sow must be 

 chosen from a breed of proper size and shape, 

 sound, and free from blemishes and defects. 

 She should at least have twelve teats ; for it is 

 observed that each pig selects a teat for him- 

 self, and keeps to it ; so that a pig not having 

 one belonging to him would be starved. A 

 good sow should produce a great number of 

 pigs, all of equal vigour. She must be very 

 careful of them, and not crush them by her 

 weight ; above all, she must not be addicted 

 to eating the after-birth, and what may often 

 follow, her own young ones. If a sow is 

 tainted with these bad habits, or if she has 

 difficult labours, or brings forth dead pigs, she 

 must be castrated forthwith. It is, therefore, 

 proper to bring up several young sows at 

 once, so as to keep those only which are free 

 from defects. Breeding-sows and boars should 

 never be raised from defective animals." 



These observations comprise much that is 

 excellent in connection with the principles of 

 breeding ; and they might be greatly extended, 

 although it would be a work of repetition. 

 It may be observed, however, that, in every 

 case, whether bacon or pork be the object of 

 the breeder, a spirited-looking head, a deep 

 and broad chest, ample ribs and barrel, a 

 haunch almost as low down as the hough, 

 broad loins, wide hips and long body, in pro- 

 portion to the height, are the qualifying points 

 of a good animal. The back should also be 

 broad, and the flesh abundant, round, and be- 

 hind the ears. Smallness of bone is also one 

 of the first considerations, and should be taken 

 into calculation with the proportion of flesh, 

 fineness of the best parts, and the lightness of 

 the ofi'al. 



Breeders are not altogether agreed as to the 

 exact age for the boar and the sow to commence 

 breeding at. In speaking upon this point, 

 Mr. Eichardson advises that the sow should 

 be at least one year old, and the boar at least 

 eighteen months; but, if the former have 

 attained her second year, and the latter his 

 third, a vigorous and numerous off"spring are 

 more likely to result. The boar and sow con- 

 tinue to breed for about five years ; or until 

 the former is upwards of eight years old, and 

 the latter seven. A boar should not be used 

 77G 



after he has passed his fifth year, nor a sow 

 after she has passed her fourth, unless she has 

 proved a peculiarly valuable breeder. In such 

 a case she might be sufi'ered to produce two 

 or three more litters.' When the services of 

 the boar are no longer required, he should be 

 emasculated — an operation that can be per- 

 formed with safety at any age — fattened, killed, 

 and sold. "When it is no longer desirable to 

 breed from the sow, she should be killed also. 

 Perhaps the most saving plan, where the breed- 

 ing and fattening of pigs are carried on simul- 

 taneously, is to take no more than three litters 

 from a sow before she is killed. If less are 

 taken, she will not have attained her full ma- 

 turity ; if more, she will prove injurious for 

 bacon. A sow that has had only three litters, 

 will be as fine bacon as an emasculated hog ; 

 but, if she has had more, the flavour of her 

 flesh will be coarse and strong. Should a sow 

 exhibit a more than ordinary tendency to take 

 on fat, she should be bred from at an early 

 age — say at about nine months — as the rapid 

 accumulation of fat in the animal is attended 

 with danger at the period of parturition. She 

 should be allowed the boar a couple of months 

 after pigging, and permitted to breed as fre- 

 quently as she is capable of doing. This will 

 effectually check her fattening tendency. After 

 having taken a few litters from her, the rapidity 

 with which she will consume her food, will soon 

 bring her into condition for the butcher. The 

 boar should be well fed, in order that he be 

 kept in high condition without being fat. On 

 the other hand, till after conception has taken 

 place, the sow should be kept rather low ; but 

 after that, she should be gradually brought up 

 to good condition. 



For successful breeding of swine, the best 

 times are in the month of April and the 

 beginning of August. After this period, the 

 litters being farrowed late, they have a good deal 

 to contend with regarding the inclemency of 

 the weather ; consequently they do not always 

 turn out profitable. Indeed, some assert that 

 the litter, either from accident or some other 

 cause, is not worth keeping. Should, how- 

 ever, a late litter be brought into the world, 

 the best plan is to trust them entirely to the 

 care of the sow ; and both her and them should 

 be well fed on warm stimulating food. This 

 will secure good pork at a period when that 



