CHAPTER XII 



The Swine Industry 



The factors leading to success in swine husbandry 

 include good animals, good feed and good care. If 

 we fail to provide any one of these, no matter in 

 what perfect form the others may appear, a full 

 measure of success is impossible. In meat animals 

 conformation, constitution and type are the essen- 

 tials and are found in most perfect form in pure- 

 bred or high-grade animals. Such have the power 

 to convert a larger part of the feed consumed into 

 carcass than the scrub, which allows much of the 

 feed consumed to pass out of the system as waste 

 matter. As to breeds, all have their strong and 

 weak points. A better feeding animal is frequently 

 secured by cross-breeding. This is understood to 

 mean the progeny of pure-bred parent stock. The 

 character of the progeny of pure-bred parents can 

 be foretold with a marked degree of certainty, but 

 of cross-bred parents not at all. The black breeds 

 usually give the highest grade meats with the least 

 offal, but many of them have been bred for heavy 

 points and consequently have lost fecundity. Re- 

 lief in this line may be obtained by using Chester 

 White, Duroc Jersey or Large Yorkshire sows 

 which are prolific breeders and excellent mothers. 

 These are bred to a pure-bred Poland China boar. 

 A Poland China boar and Yorkshire sow bring a 

 very superior feeder. 



BREEDS AND TYPES 



The question of what breed of hogs is best for a 

 farmer to raise is one upon which little definite 



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