THE SWINE INDUSTRY 175 



now being produced in the high valleys of the 

 Rocky Mountain states where alfalfa pasture, west- 

 ern grown barley, peas and sugar beets constitute 

 the ration. 



In choosing the type of hogs to be bred, the 

 farmer should pay particular attention to the 

 natural conditions under which he is working, and 

 should breed the type of hogs that thrive best upon 

 the grains and forages his farm will produce. The 

 selection of the foundation stock for a herd of hogs 

 is of the utmost importance. Poorly chosen in- 

 dividuals of indifferent breeding will tend to trans- 

 mit their undesirable characteristics to their off- 

 spring, with the result that the quality of the entire 

 herd is likely to be low. Learn to appreciate the 

 strong points in whatever particular breed is chosen, 

 and then select those individuals for breeding which 

 most nearly conform to the ideal type. In select- 

 ing breeding hogs, either male or female, the follow- 

 ing points should receive consideration: Form, 

 size for age, quality and feet and legs. To thor- 

 oughly inspect a hog it is necessary to view it from 

 the sides, front and rear, both standing and in 

 motion. From the side, the hog should show a 

 rather short head, full jowl and neck, a strong, 

 rather arched back without any depression back of 

 the shoulders or at the loin, a deep body of good 

 length, and a deep, well-rounded ham. From front 

 and rear the side lines of the body should be straight 

 and parallel, and this will be true if the develop- 

 ment of shoulder, spring of rib and ham are uni- 

 form. Good quality is indicated by fine hair, 

 medium bone and absence of wrinkles and general 

 coarseness. Hogs coarse in type mature slowly 

 and fatten indifferently. Those possessing harsh 

 hair and skin and showing wrinkles will produce 



