214 SWINE 



ence in this regard. If only one litter per year is to be 

 produced, the sow may be bred to farrow when the season 

 is most congenial, but if she is to produce two litters per 

 year, the fall season will also have to be taken into consid- 

 eration. Under the system of feeding in common prac- 

 tice, a winter pig cannot be as successfully handled as a 

 spring pig. As already outlined, this apparently is due to 

 the fact that such pigs receive too little protein and 

 water as well as not enough exercise. Under such condi- 

 tions fall pigs should be farrowed as early as possible, 

 which would naturally also require that the spring crop 

 be farrowed early. 



Age of Gilts. The age at which a gilt is first to be bred 

 was discussed in Chapter 14 in connection with feeding, 

 but in general it may be said that a sow should not pro- 

 duce more than two litters during the first two years of 

 her life. These may be farrowed at one, or one and one- 

 half years, and two years of age respectively. By this 

 time she will practically be mature and can produce two 

 litters per year thereafter. In general, then, the time at 

 which a sow is to be bred is controlled by the time at 

 which the pigs are to be marketed. 



CONDITION OF SIRE AND DAM. 



The condition of the sire and more especially the con- 

 dition of the dam during the breeding season exercises 

 considerable influence on the offspring. In order to pro- 

 duce the best results the condition of both sire and dam 

 should be such that they are healthy, thrifty, and vigor- 

 ous. As already stated, the tendency of swine is to trans- 

 mit their characteristics to a greater or less extent to their 

 immediate offspring. If a sow is too thin in flesh at the 

 breeding season, she may not come in heat at all, or, if 



