AGE AND WEIGHT 321 



straight glossy hair, fine, clean skin and a clear-cut contour, 

 especially about the head and ears. The bone in the leg 

 should be large, straight and strong, the nostrils open, the 

 eyes prominent and bright, and the chest, broad, deep and 

 full. If an animal is being selected for a breeder, breed 

 character and constitution are of special importance. One of 

 the most common faults of the hog, especially in some breeds 

 is to narrow abruptly behind the shoulders and gradually 

 become narrower toward the buttocks, thus giving the 

 animal, not only an ungainly appearance, but a very undesir- 

 able condition from the market standpoint. Such a con- 

 dition is likely to be magnified in the male because of the 

 natural tendency to be heavy through the shoulders owing to 

 the development of shields. This is a common fault in sows, 

 and should be avoided. 



Age and Weight. — ^The age at which a hog reaches market 

 maturity and the ultimate weight attained at this period is 

 dependent on the use or purpose of the animal. The method 

 of feeding also bears directly on the problem. A hog grown 

 under the proper condition for breeding purposes naturally 

 develops into a larger and stronger animal than otherwise. 

 Growth takes place during a longer period than when the 

 same animal is fed properly for market. A clear distinction 

 should therefore be made in judging hogs for breeding and 

 market purposes. Special stress should be placed on the 

 bone development in a breeding animal because of its in- 

 fluence on the duration of usefulness. From the market 

 standpoint it is necessary to develop only sufiicient bone and 

 substance to carry the finished market weight. 



The various breeds of hogs differ greatly in their weight 

 for age, growing period, and maturing qualities. The Essex 

 is a small early maturing breed, the small size being one 

 of the principal objections to the breed. The Tamworth 

 is a larger and later maturing breed, the latter characteristic 

 being one of the chief objections to them. Weight for age 

 and maturing qualities are dependent on the breed, the 

 individual, and the method of feeding and management. 

 Exceptional weight for age is desirable, providing it is cor- 

 related with market demands. A hog weighing 200 to 225 

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