502 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



in the market. While feeding has a 

 marked influence on the strength of the 

 bone, conformation is perhaps of even 

 more importance. It is especially de- 

 sirable that the pasterns be erect and 

 that the hog should stand on his toes 

 and only in the case of old animals 

 should the dew-claws reach the ground. 

 Medium sized feet are desired because 

 large, heavy feet hamper the movement 

 of the hogs and indicate coarseness. 



The neck should be short, well rounded, 

 arched and increasing in size from the 

 head to the shoulders. 



The shoulders should be full and 

 square, the legs set well apart so as to 

 afford ample room for the lungs and 

 heart, and the heart girth just behind 

 the shoulders should be nearly equal 

 to the girth at any other point. 



The back should be broad and straight, 

 and should be slightly arched, rather 

 than swayed between the shoulders and 

 hams. The ribs should be well sprung 

 to make the back broad and should drop 

 nearly straight at the sides. The belly 

 should be wide and straight, not flabby 

 nor drawn in at the flanks. 



The hams should be as wide as the 

 shoulders, nearly flat across the top and 

 drooping but a little to the root of the 

 tail; they should be well rounded behind 

 and come well down on the stifle, so as 

 to make the lower part of the hams full 

 and plump. 



Bacon type — Within recent years 

 there has been considerable talk in re- 

 gard to the bacon type of hogs. In 

 Canada, a considerable export trade has 

 been built up with England along this 

 line. In Denmark, and also in Ireland, 

 large quantities of bacon are annually 

 shipped to England, and England itself 

 produces considerable quantities of 

 bacon. The lard type of hogs does not 

 meet this demand as well as a longer- 

 bodied, less fat hog. At present, the 

 most of American bacon is produced 

 from the lighter hogs of the lard type. 

 The quality of meat produced by the 

 lighter weight bacon hogs is considered 

 superior to that of the heavy weight 

 lard hogs and there is hardly a doubt 

 that this type will continually increase 

 in importance. The points of the bacon 

 hog and their relative importance given 

 by Craig are as follows : 



SCALE OF POINTS FOR BACON HOGS. BARROW. 



General Appearance: 



Weight, 170 to 200 pounds, largely 

 the result of thick cover of 

 firm flesh 6 



Form, long, level, smooth, deep. . 10 



Quality, hair fine, skin fine; bone 

 fine; firm, even covering of 

 flesh without any soft bunches 

 of fat or wrinkles 10 



Condition, deep, uniform covering 

 of flesh, especially in regions 

 of valuable cuts 10 



Head and Neck: 



Snout, fine 



Eyes, full, mild, bright 



Face, slim 



Ears, trim, medium size 



Jowl, light, trim 



Neck, medium length, light 



Fore Quarters: 



Shoulders, free from roughness 

 smooth, compact and same 

 width as back and hind quar- 

 ters -6 



Breast, moderately wide, full .... 2 

 Legs, straight, short, strong, bone 

 clean ; pasterns upright, feet 

 medium size 2 



Body: 



Chest, deep, full girth 4 



Back, medium and uniform in 



width, smooth 8 



Sides, long, smooth, level, from 

 beginning of shoulders to end 

 of hind quarters. The sides 

 at all points should touch a 

 straight edge running from 



fore to hind quarter 10 



Bibs, deep 2 



Belly, trim, firm, thick without 

 any flabbiness or shrinkage at 

 flank 10 



Hind Quarters: 



Hips, smooth, wide, proportionate 



to rest of body 2 



Bump, long, even, straight, 



rounded toward tail 2 



Gammon, firm, rounded, tapering, 

 fleshed deep and low towards 

 hocks 8 



Legs, straight, short, strong; feet, 

 medium size ; bone clean ; pas- 

 terns upright 2 



Total 100 



Contrast of bacon with lard type — 



The most desirable weight of the bacon 



