SIZE, PROLIFICACY AND QUALITY 27 



breeds of today in general are of such a character that 

 hogs may be put into desirable market condition at al- 

 most any age during early life, and the trouble in many 

 cases is that they come to maturity too soon. With this 

 in view it is easy to see that for most profitable pork 

 production the time at which a hog comes to maturity 

 should be extended as far as is consistent with good form 

 and quality. Early maturity in general is brought about 

 by feeding an excess of non-nitrogenous nutrients or by 

 sudden changes from nitrogenous to non-nitrogenous 

 feeds. 



By feeding an excess of non-nitrogenous nutrients the 

 pig does not have sufficient protein upon which to make 

 extended growth ; therefore, he will lay on fat and discon- 

 tinue to grow, which will produce a developed hog at an 

 early age. By sudden changes from nitrogenous to non- 

 nitrogenous feeds, a relatively high rate of waste results 

 for the time being and must be supplied first, principally 

 from the crude protein of the ration, thus leaving but lit- 

 tle for the growth of the pig. At the same time the pig 

 will lay on fat from the non-nitrogenous part of the ration, 

 which results in the same thing as above, namely, early 

 maturity. 



PROLIFICACY. 



Prolificacy is a valuable point in any breed. The brood 

 sow that will produce twelve pigs and raise ten to a litter 

 is more than twice as valuable as the sow that will pro- 

 duce seven pigs and raise five. If the one that raises five 

 pigs per litter will pay expenses, then the one that raises 

 ten pigs will have five pigs for the profit of her owner. 



Prolificacy, although more or less an inherited char- 

 acteristic, is very largely controlled by the condition of 



