JUDGING SWINE 95 



to approach the same condition. The castrated males 

 become more effeminate and the spayed females more 

 masculine. The ideal pork animal should have an inex- 

 pressive character and resigned attitude suggestive that 

 the only purpose for which it existed was the conversion 

 of feed into pork. 



Stock hogs. — The selection of stock hogs demands 

 greater skill than the judging of fat swine. The judge of 

 stock hogs must possess a conception of the animal after 

 it has passed through a fattening process. He must not 

 only pick the animals that will finish into the ideal mar- 

 ket type, but due consideration must be given to the 

 economy of production. In other words, he must be able 

 to judge the fattening and gaining capacity of the animal. 

 If one has a definite knowledge of the ideal market hog, 

 the selection of stock hogs and the production of the ideal 

 market type is a less complicated matter. In the selec- 

 tion of swine for feeding purposes we should therefore 

 look for indications of thrift and gaining capacity, a 

 strong constitution, quality, breeding, and a disposition 

 consistent with the finishing of the animal into an ideal 

 market animal. 



Judging breeding swine. — Basically, the judging of 

 breeding swine and market swine is identical in so far as 

 conformation is concerned. With breeding swine, how- 

 ever, some allowances must be made for condition, but 

 with a lack of condition there must be indications of early 

 maturity and ample feeding capacity. In breeding swine 

 there are, in addition to the above, certain things directly 

 related to breeding capacity which must be doubly 

 emphasized. Constitutional vigor and sexuality are of 



