390 Western Live-stock Management 



selecting a boar : First, that the animal is of good market 

 type ; second, that he has masculinity well defined ; third, 

 that he is in good condition as compared with the other 

 pigs kept in the sanie lot with him, or kept in like manner 

 as himself ; fourth, that he is out of a large litter from a 

 sow that is a good mother; fifth, that the boar is pure- 

 bred, and his pedigree or transfer certificate should be 

 received with him, or if the owner has not these papers 

 a part of the purchase price should be held until he turns 

 them over to you. 



One should not buy a grade boar, or one which the owner 

 says is of pure blood, but on which the registration papers 

 have not been kept up. If such a boar is found to be an 

 exceptionally good breeder and the new owner wants to 

 pass him on to some one else, the next person will be 

 sure to insist on the papers. A runt from a good herd 

 should not be purchased merely because he is cheap. One 

 should not buy a boar of one breed when his sows are pure- 

 bred and of some other breed, nor should a pig under 

 five months of age be purchased for immediate service. 

 When the boar has been secured, one should not turn 

 him out in a lot Math strange hogs, because there may be 

 brood sows in heat, and other hogs may fight him. Over 

 six sows should not be bred a week, nor more than two 

 in one day with a boar under a year, and over eight a 

 week with a mature boar. 



A boar six months old can get pigs, but a boar should not 

 be used until he is eight months old, and but sparingly 

 at that age. The way the young boar is used has a great 

 deal to do with his length of life and his utility. If de- 

 sirable to try him out, it may be done with only a small 

 number of sows, and then his usefulness will not be im- 

 paired. Many breeders waste much money by procuring 



