548 THE PIG 



quality. Consequently this feature of its conformation, with the 

 lack of thick external fat, caused the recent agitation in its behalf 

 in England and America. It is but fair to say, however, that in 

 spite of the arguments in behalf of this as a bacon producer, it is 

 bred only in a small way abroad, the Large Yorkshire being the 

 leading bacon pig of both Britain and Denmark. 



The maturing quality of the Tamworth is inferior, probably 

 being less forward in development than any other breed in 

 America. While growth is constantly made, an early-finished, 

 matured product does not usually obtain. However, some British 

 feeders have argued that the Tamworth will mature early. Mr. 

 G. M. Allender, long a famous British breeder, says, "I find that 

 the Tamworths feed early, and I have hams now hanging which 

 exceed 20 pounds each in weight, smoked and dried, although 

 they were cut from pigs which were only twenty-seven weeks 

 old." The Mitchell Brothers of Birmingham, who won first prize 

 at the Birmingham Fat Stock Show in 1884, informed Professor 

 Long that the Tamworths they exhibited were only five and 

 one-half months old and weighed 12 score per pig, or 240 pounds. 

 These pigs were from a sow twelve months old at farrowing. 



The feeding quality of the Tamworth is fairly good, the pig 

 making considerable growth for the food fed. Mr. E. N. Ball of 

 Michigan reports on three pigs about sixteen weeks old, which 

 during ninety-seven days gained a total of 340 pounds from 1224 

 pounds of grain, or 100 pounds of gain for 360 pounds of feed. 

 Rommel of the United States Department of Agriculture, aver- 

 aging the results of feeding six breeds as brought out in repre- 

 sentative tests by experiment stations, shows that in 16 tests 

 involving 92 Tamworths it required 344 pounds of feed for 100 

 pounds gain live weight. In the Iowa feeding trials on breeds three 

 experiments were conducted, showing daily gains for Tamworths 

 of ."JJ, 1. 00, and 1.05 pounds respectively, the average cost per 

 pound of gain being S2.42, ranking fifth in cost of production 

 among the breeds. The Iowa experiments also showed that the 

 Tamworths dressed out in carcass very well, the average being 

 78.46 per cent for 14 pigs, comparing creditably with five other 

 breeds, surpassing three of them. At the Ontario Agricultural 

 College, in comparisons of six breeds, covering five years of 



