JUDGING THE BACON TYPE OF SWINE 



539 



sell before the hogs are overdone. In scoring on this point, 

 grade the animal in high condition more severely than the 

 one somewhat lacking in this respect. The ribs in a bacon 

 hog of the best type have a strong arch and then come 

 clown sharply into rather a vertical position. This is a dis- 

 tinctive feature of the ribbing, and through this conforma- 

 tion is secured the 

 flat side so much 

 valued by the ba- 

 con curer. The 

 ribs should also be 

 long, so as to pro- 

 vide depth of body 

 and size. The side 

 of the bacon hog, 

 to meet a critical 

 standard, must fur- 

 nish as completely 

 as possible four 

 things, viz., length, 

 depth, smoothness 

 and condition. 

 "From a packer's 

 standpoint, " says 

 Day, 3 "a bacon hog cannot have too long a side, but 

 the breeder must exercise care that he does not 

 secure this extreme length at the expense of constitu- 

 tion. . . . It is absolutely necessary, however, that the hog 

 should have a good length of side, much more than is found 

 in the fat type." In the scale of points, eight points are 

 credited to the sides, or really 12, if we include the ribs. 

 No other part is allowed so many points and, in judging, 

 this must be kept in mind. Emphasize the four essential 

 features in the bacon side, and score sharply if the animal 

 is much defective in these characteristics. Note, in particu- 

 lar, smoothness and condition of fleshing. The chest, as 



* Productive Swine Husbandry, 1913, p. 18. 



Fig. 294. " A bacon hog cannot have too long 

 a side." 



