470 



THE PIG 



The hips, rump, and ham involve the highest-priced meat on 

 the modern porker. The hips should be neatly placed and not 

 prominent, and should be smoothly covered with flesh. The 

 rump has a tendency to be droopy, with the tail set low, although 

 good form calls for a long, broad, somewhat level rump, thick- 

 fleshed, with the tail neatly attached fairly well up. Below the 

 rump the hams carry down fairly straight behind or with some 

 outward curve, then rounding into the lower thigh and twist 

 above the hocks. A high-class ham viewed from behind is 

 thick at the edge and low at twist, with considerable depth from 

 the tail to the point where the hams join at twist. From the side 

 the relative length is long from the hip point to lower comer 

 of ham, while considerable side breadth shows, with a strong, 

 well-turned lower thigh and hock joint. 



The hind legs in natural position should have strong hocks, 

 wide and muscular, yet not fat, standing well apart when viewed 

 from the rear, so that the legs appear quite plumb from that 

 point. Viewed from the side the hocks should seem deep and 

 the legs below carried down straight, with the pig standing 

 strong on the toes. All the features of quality, bone, and 

 strength of position desirable in the front legs are equally desir- 

 able in the hind legs. 



The sides from shoulder to hind flank and ham require a 

 long, well-arched rib. This furnishes a body of ample digestive 

 or breeding capacity. Not only should the sides be deep, but the 

 lower part of the body in good formation will be wide, thus pre- 

 serving a good line from front to hind flank. Such a body as 

 this, full and thick at the flanks, is associated with the animal of 

 easy fattening power. 



The fleshing quality of the pig is most important. If an animal 

 is well fleshed, the back, sides, shoulders, rump, and hams will be 

 uniformly covered with meat, which will feel mellow yet firm, 

 and not harsh and hard to the touch of the hand. The skin will 

 be free of scurviness or roughness, and wrinkles will be quite 

 lacking. This smoothness of covering is equally essential with 

 the fat pig or breeding animal. Wrinkles often occur about the 

 jowl or head and along the sides, furnishing decided obstacles to 

 high-grade work in dressing the carcass at slaughter. 



