This ensures good parentage a very important point. It requires experience to 

 pick out the good ones while still young, so that a good plan for the beginner is to 

 buy sows safe in young from a reputable breeder. All stock bought should be well 

 grown for its age. JL six-months-old pig should weigh ground 175 Ib. if well grown, 

 and at one year 325 Ib. It should be remembered that. 'while light hogs are wanted 

 for slaughtering, they should be the progeny of large, well-grown parents to ensure 



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Mature Tamworth So\v. 



rapid growth. A mature sow should weigh 400 Ib. at least, and a mature boar 

 considerably more. Large specimens of the Yorkshire and Tamworth breeds have 

 gone over 1,000 Ib. each. All animals should show reasonable activity of movement. 



Docility and prolificacy are qualities to be looked for in the sow. They mean 

 large, well-nourished litters, and profits for the owner. Do not forget that these 

 qualities are hereditary. 



The So jr. A careful mother with a good milk-supply is a great asset, and should 

 not be parted with in a hurry. In selecting young sows, they should be from dams 

 whose usefulness has been proven. Kindness and a little individual attention while 

 young will make them docile mothers, and will be amply repaid. 



The sow should be feminine in appearance. The head and neck should be fine, 

 but with good width between the eyes and across the forehead. The neck should 

 not be arched, nor the shoulders wider than the rest of the body. A depression 

 behind the shoulders, giving a tucked-in appearance about the heart, is very undesir- 

 able. A nice arch in the back at the loin is desirable, indicating strength in that 

 region. A good length of side from the shoulder backward, with well-sprung, deep 

 ribs, is an important feature. Many sows are so smooth that a straight-edge from 

 shoulder to ham will touch all along the side. The hams should be full and well 

 fleshed to the hocks, although in this quarter, as in the rest of the body, we do not 

 look for as much width as we would in the lard-hog. The legs must be strong, with 

 hocks squarely set. indicating ease of farrowing. The pasterns especially must be 

 upright, with no tendency to break down. If weak, the sow would soon be walking 

 on her dew-claws, or perhaps not able to walk at all. At least twelve large teats 

 should be visible, and it may be stated here that ten or twelve offspring are all that 

 can be raised properly by one sow, and she must be a good sow at that. 



The Boar. The boar has far more influence on the herd than a sow, hence he 

 should be a good one. The meaning of " masculinity without coarseness " is hard to 

 explain, but that should be the aim in selection. Coarseness is apt to be shown in 

 the neck and shoulders. The neck may be slightly arched, but the shoulders should 

 be smooth, allowance, of course, to be made for shields in mature animals. Rough, 



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