PRINCIPLES OF SWINE BREEDING 31 



used as sires where they should have been sent to the 

 pork barreL One of the most regrettable sights is to see 

 a scrub boar masquerading under a pedigree heading the 

 herd of a would-be breeder, who knows no better than to 

 assume that, because his boar is registered, he is fit to 

 head a herd. 



Better blood always needed. — In all of our swine- 

 breeding operations there is one thing that must be con- 

 stantly borne in mind, and that is that there is always 

 need for improved blood. The aim of the breeder should 

 always be to produce something better. With all of the 

 effort that will ever be directed toward improvement, 

 there will always be room for more. That stage in swine 

 breeding will never be attained at which no further effort 

 will be needed to maintain the perfection of the breeds. 

 This is in a measure due to the fact that there is a con- 

 stant tendency for an improved strain or breed to revert 

 to an original type, and the higher the specialization and 

 the nearer perfection we approach the greater will be the 

 effort required to maintain, much less improve, the breeds 

 of swine. 



Co-operative swine breeding. — Of late we have heard 

 considerable of co-operative dairy and beef cattle breed- 

 ing associations. There is no reason why the same prin- 

 ciple would not apply to swine breeding. In general, 

 the plan would be for a community of farmers interested 

 in a particular breed of swine to form an association, 

 binding themselves by an agreement to advance the 

 interests of the chosen breed. They would agree to use 

 nothing but pure-bred and registered boars and sows, as 

 each member might choose. The plan would be for the 

 boars to be purchased by the association from the best 



