508 



JUDGIXG FARM ANIMALS 



the judge, with the aid of his stick, groups his animals side 

 by side in order that he may look down on the backs and 

 compare breadth and length, and note wherein one surpasses 

 another. Standing behind the animals a few feet, one also 

 gets a rump and ham view, as well as back, so that this 

 position gives a good point for observation. To see the 

 sides the hogs must be moved so that an unobstructed view 

 may be had, whereby the sides may be easily studied. An 

 experienced judge usually has the animals well scattered 

 in the judging space, thus enabling him to study and com- 



Pig. 282. — "The judge, witti tbe aid of his stick, groups his animals 

 side by side, in order that he may lool^ down on the bacl^s and compare 

 breadth and length, and note wherein one surpasses another." (Photo 

 by courtesy Ohio Agr. Exp. Station.) 



pare at his leisure. If one has four animals very closely 

 matched then some of the minor characteristics, such as 

 length or position of legs, size of ear, width of face, etc., 

 will serve as a basis for arriving at a decision. One year 

 the Ohio State University had in competition at the Inter- 

 national Live Stock Exposition, a pen of three fat hogs that 

 had won first prize in class. They were very choice and 

 unusually well-matched individuals, but in the competi- 

 tion for championship, honors, after mature deliberation, 

 the prize went elsewhere. The judge later explained, and 

 rightly, that one pig in the Ohio pen had somewhat crooked 

 hind legs, which he persisted in keeping well under his 



