CHAPTER XXIII 

 THE BACON-TYPE HOG 



The bacon hog presents some very marked differences when com- 

 pared with the lard hog in form, fleshing, and temperament. These 

 differences are very necessary because the bacon hog yields a product 

 that is quite different from that of the fat or lard hog. The foremost 

 countries in bacon production are England, Denmark, and Canada, the 

 first mentioned consuming the surplus production of the other two. 

 It is a superior product to that with which the American public is 

 supplied, being the finest that is produced. American bacon is the 

 belly meat of the lighter and thinner hogs of the lard type, but English 

 bacon is supplied by a hog the entire side of which is suitable for bacon. 

 Denmark and Canada ship bacon to England in the form of what is 

 called the "Wiltshire side." A Wiltshire side represents half the car- 

 cass of the hog, minus the head and legs. The neck, shoulder, back, 

 loin, side, belly, and ham are included, and all of these parts are retailed 

 as bacon except the ham and shoulder. 



The best bacon contains a relatively large amount of lean meat 

 and small amount of fat. The price charged for bacon at wholesale or 

 retail is very largely regulated by these features, a cheap slab of bacon 

 always being characterized by greater thickness, little lean, and much 

 fat. The production of high-quality bacon therefore necessitates a 

 different kind of hog than the lard hog, a hog disposed to be muscular 

 and active, but not a hog that fattens readily. The production of the 

 best bacon also necessitates feeding this hog on such feeds as will furnish 

 nitrogenous or muscle-building materials in abundance, the carbona- 

 ceous or fat-forming elements of the ration being supplied in much 

 less amount than would be advisable if lard hogs were being fed. This 

 fact explains why but few bacon hogs are found in the corn belt, and 

 also why the United States is able to "produce the lard hog at lower cost 

 than he can be produced elsewhere. Whereas corn plays a large part 

 in the production of lard-type swine for the market, the bacon hog is 

 fed on such feeds as peas, barley, oats, and skim milk or buttermilk, 

 which are much better suited to bacon production than is com, be- 

 cause they contain a larger percentage of protein. 



Weights desired in bacon hogs. — It is important that the producer 

 of bacon hogs turn them off to market at that period in their develop- 

 ment when the character of the flesh will be nearest the bacon ideal. 

 To be more explicit, if the hog is marketed too young its flesh will be 



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