SWINE 



555 



pea meal has been fed alone it has re- 

 sulted in unthrifty animals and poor 

 gains, but when mixed with middlings 

 in the proportion of three parts pea meal 

 and one part middlings, good gains and 

 an excellent quality of bacon has been 

 obtained. It is recommended that, for 

 firm bacon, peas always be fed in combi- 

 nation with other grains to hogs. 



Experiments at the Canadian agri- 

 cultural college have also shown that un- 

 thrifty hogs are more likely to produce 

 soft bacon than vigorous, well fed hogs. 

 When roots equal in weight to the grain 

 ration have been fed an excellent qual- 

 ity of pork and firm bacon have been 

 produced. In general, feeds which keep 

 the animals in a thrifty, vigorous con- 

 dition are likely to result in the pro- 

 duction of firm bacon. Plenty of ex- 

 ercise, the use of succulent feeds, skim 

 milk and other dairy products also favor 

 the production of firm bacon. In Can- 

 ada the Tamworth and Yorkshire are the 

 breeds most commonly used for the pro- 

 duction of bacon for the English and 

 Canadian markets. 



Dressed weight of hogs — The dressed 

 weight of well fattened hogs in many 



experiments has averaged 76.44 per cent 

 (fasted live weight). When hogs have 

 been fed on concentrated feeds like corn, 

 the dressed weight may equal 80 per cent 

 of the live weight. On the average, the 

 blood constitutes about 2.5 to 3 per 

 cent of the live weight of hogs; the 

 liver 1.3 to 1.5 per cent; heart 0.2 per 

 cent; stomach and contents 4.5 to 5 per 

 cent; intestines 6.5 to 8 per cent; kid- 

 neys 0.3 per cent; spleen 0.1 per cent; 

 intestinal fat 1 to 2 per cent; kidney fat 

 4 to 4.5 per cent. 



MARKET CLASSES AND GRADES OF 



SWINE 



The regular shipper and the larger 

 farmers who accompany their stock to 

 market, come to understand the expres- 

 sions used in the stock yards with refer- 

 ence to the different classes and grades 

 of stock. Without a visit to the stock 

 yards it is difficult to interpret the stock 

 market quotations. 



In a recent bulletin from the Illinois 

 station, Dietrich has reported compre- 

 hensively on this subject. The follow- 

 ing is the classification reported by 

 Dietrich as used in the principal stock 

 markets : 



Classes. 

 Prime heavy hogs, 

 350 to 500 pounds. 



Butcher hogs, 



180 to 350 pounds. 



Packing hogs, 



200 to 500 pounds. 



Ught hogs, 



125 to 220 pounds. 



MARKET CLASSIFICATION OF SWINE 



Subclasses. 



Heavy butchers, 280 to 350 pounds 



Medium butchers, 220 to 280 pounds ) 

 Light butchers, 180 to 220 pounds ) 



Heavy packing, 300 to 500 pounds ) 



Medium packing, 250 to :tfK) pounds > 



Mixed packing, 200 to 280 pounds » 



English, 160 to 220 pounds 



Bacon 



United States, 155 to 195 pounds 



Light mixed, 150 to 220 pounds 



Light light, 125 to 150 pounds 



Pigs, 60 to 125 pounds . 



Roughs. 

 Stags. 

 Boars. 

 Miscellaneous: 



Roasting pigs, 15 to 30 pounds. 



Feeders. 



Governments. 



Pen holders. 



Dead hogs. 



Grades. 



Prime. 

 ( Prime. 

 (Good. 



( Prime. 

 \ Good. 

 ( Common. 

 (Good 

 ' Common 

 ( Inferior 

 ( Choice. 

 \ Light. 

 (Fat. 



( Choice 

 {Good 

 ( Common 



( Good. 

 < Common. 

 ( Inferior. 



( Good. 

 •' Common. 

 ( Inferior. 

 ( Choice. 

 \ Good. 

 I Common. 



