-;5 JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



to her pigs. In the show ring one cannot always determine 

 this matter of temperament, but, as a rule, the brood sow 

 that is quiet and easily moved about may be regarded as 

 having the most desirable temperament. Occasionally one 

 finds a sow that is lazy and awkward, lacking in activity, 

 and not disposed to attend to her pigs. She is almost as 

 bad as the high strung, nervous sow, for she rarely raises 

 a litter. 



The size of the brood sow should be large, without coarse- 



Fig. 297. "The most distinguishing sex feature of the sow is the 

 mammary glands or udder." 



ness. The present day tendency is to demand brood sows 

 with plenty of size and a reasonable amount of quality. 

 In the show ring the larger animal, other things being equal, 

 is given the preference. One reason for the great popu- 

 larity of the Duroc-Jersey in the middle west is the 

 considerable size of the matured females. The compact, 

 tidy, quick-maturing sort, that at one time was in favor, 

 has given way to the larger, slower-maturing, more ca- 

 pacious animal. A brood sow weighing around 400 to 450 

 pounds in the best of breeding condition will meet with favor. 

 Some breeds, like the Large Yorkshire, at maturity, weigh 



