CHAPTER XLVI. 



THE PORK CARCASS AND ITS CUTS. 



To be able to judge swine intelligently, it is necessary to 

 understand into what the carcass of the hog, as a product of 

 the feeder's art, may be transformed in its final analysis. 

 The average man knows that from the carcass of the hog 

 are taken hams, pork chops, spare ribs, etc., but he little 

 knows or cares for further information. The qualified 

 judge, however, understands that the carcass of the hog 

 cuts into parts of different values and for various domestic 

 uses. Further, he must learn, as a preliminary part of the 

 study of animal form, that in order to have a carcass of 

 first quality and value, it is necessary to have a live animal 

 of first quality and high-class conformation. High-class 

 meat is a product of quality, and high-priced cuts come 

 from the parts that the intelligent breeder attempts to re- 

 produce in the highest degree of perfection. 



The dressed carcass of the hog shows a smaller per cent 

 of waste than any other farm animal. Ordinarily, the hog 

 will dress out close to 80 per cent carcass and 20 per cent 

 offal for fattened stock. The older and more heavily fat- 

 tened, the greater the per cent of carcass to offal. In the 

 prize hog carcasses at one International Live Stock Ex- 

 position, the smallest per cent of carcass to offal was 83.2, 

 and the greatest 88.3 per cent. A record of 85 per cent 

 carcass and 15 per cent offal at an American hog carcass 

 show, is not at all remarkable. At the European shows, 

 such as the Smithfield of London, where the bacon type 

 prevails, the dressing out percentage is considerably less 

 than the highest American records. The weights of carcass 

 vary greatly, but 160 to 250 pounds are popular, while if 

 the market desires lard, a still heavier weight up to 400 



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