58 DISEASES OF SWINE 



and placed well apart under the body. They are well boned, have 

 firm pastern joints, and sustain well the weight of the animal. 

 The legs are also built for grazing, and this enables the hog to do 

 well as a forager. The special peculiarity of the Mulefoot hog is the 

 foot. In all other breeds of swine the foot is cloven in appearance. 

 In the Mulefoot there is not this separation into two lateral halves 

 or toes. Instead, the entire hoof is solid, and there is not a sign 

 of a crease or crack. The dew claws of the Mulefoot hog are also 

 a little longer, and are placed a little lower down on the foot 

 than in other breeds. When the Mulefoot is crossed on other strains 

 it imparts its strong qualities to a marked degree, and makes an 



Fig. 23. — Prize-winning Mulefoot sow and litter of pigs. Owned and bred by- 

 John H. Dunlap, Williamsport, Ohio. 



excellent cross with some of the less active and less prolific of 

 the lard types. The solid hoof is shown, as a rule, in the litters 

 obtained by these crosses of the Mulefoot with grade or other pure- 

 bred stock. Owing to the fact that it has never been cross-bred 

 to any extent with other types, the Mulefoot possesses unusual 

 breeding strength, and carries over its qualities to the offspring in 

 unusual degree. 



Coming to Front. — The Mulefoot hog, when all is considered, 

 appears to be a very worthy example of the lard types. He is a 

 hardy animal, and, while his reputation was to some degree injured 

 by early claims with regard to cholera, the breed is now forging to 

 the front. The breeders of this type are now organized under the 



