THE BACON TYPE OF PIG 535 



free of wrinkles, and be covered evenly with flesh. In touching 

 on this subject the Ingersoll Packing Company of Canada says : 



The packer calls for the long, lean pigs, as they are the ones that suit 

 best and are most difficult to procure ; this is the only kind that will furnish 

 the desired " Wiltshire side," and it will also make any of the other cuts 

 the market calls for. 



The rump and hams lack the heavy development of the lard 

 type, but a level, long, moderately broad rump is important. 

 The hams in their lower parts should be long, gradually tapering, 

 not necessarily split up high between, with shallow, neatly turned 

 twist. They should also be broad from front to rear, with a 

 medium thick covering of flesh, tapering to the hocks. 



The hind legs should have all the merits of the fore legs in 

 bone, quality, and smoothness, and in position of pasterns and 

 toes. Besides this the hocks should be well placed, being smooth 

 of joint and neither close nor wide behind. 



The quality of the bacon pig is most important. This is seen 

 in the clean, smooth bone and joints, and the abundant hair, lack- 

 ing in coarseness, lying close to the mellow skin. Wrinkles 

 should be lacking, and the entire body be smooth and evenly 

 covered with flesh in breeding as well as in feeding stock. 



The weight of bacon pigs most acceptable in the market is 

 from 170 to 180 pounds, although 200 is not excessive. Danish 

 bacon pigs range from 180 to 220 pounds. The larger type is 

 not approved in Canada, the smaller being preferred. 



Breeding bacon pigs should show the characteristics associated 

 with sex, but in general the above description applies to the 

 bacon type. The boar should have a strong, masculine head, 

 neck, and shoulder, the sow a smaller, more refined sort, with 

 more depth of belly than possessed by boar or barrow. 



