540 



JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



the part enclosing the vital organs, should be relatively 

 thick and deep. No depressions back of the shoulders, 

 or hollow or tucked-up flanks should be seen. A full, firm- 

 fleshed flank is essentially associated with constitutional vigor 

 and a good side of bacon as well. The belly, though fur- 

 nishing some of the cheapest meat, should be neat and trim, 



thicker in its flesh- 

 ing here than in 

 the lard type, and 

 quite lacking in 

 flabby condition or 

 shrinkage about the 

 flanks. Paunchiness 

 or flabby condition 

 of the belly should 

 meet with distinct 

 disfavor. 



The hindquar- 

 ters of the bacon 

 hog 1 involve hips, 

 rump, hams and 

 legs. The rump 

 should be long, of 

 the same width as 

 the back, be carried level rather than droopy, and be 

 slightly rounded over the top from one side to the other. 

 The flat-topped, broad rump is likely to carry too much fat. 

 The hips should not be wider apart than the width of the 

 back, and should be smoothly covered. The hams, also 

 called the gammons by some British authorities, have a 

 shape very distinctive to this type of hog. They should 

 exhibit much less thickness and fullness than does the ham 

 of the lard type, being more split up between, showing com- 

 paratively little twist, yet having a long, smooth muscle of 

 firm appearance, fleshing neatly and completely about the 

 lower thigh quite to the hock. The pared-off lower thigh 

 is easily seen from either one side or behind. A comparison 



Fig. 295. "A comparison of the hind ends of 

 lard and bacon types of hogs brings out in sharp 

 contrast the difference in thickness of hams, as 

 well as spread and height between the legs." 



