62 SWINE 



should be even in width, the ribs should be long; and carry 

 the fullness well down to give the hog a symmetrical well- 

 balanced appearance and as much weight as possible. 



The belly should contain as much lean meat as can be 

 obtained and should be straight and even, but not flabby 

 or contain too much fat. In width it should be properly 

 proportioned to the width of the hog in general. The 

 belly of course never is quite as broad as the remainder 

 of the body, but many times the belly is decidedly nar- 

 row. This is an objection in a brood sow for various rea- 

 sons, among which is that a narrow belly would not give 

 sufficient udder for the proper nourishment of the lit- 

 ter. 



The rump, which is the part from the loin to the tail, 

 should be long. With length in the rump there usually 

 also is associated width of ham, both of which are desira- 

 ble and valuable cuts. The rump should be wide, which 

 increases the weight of this part as well as the thickness 

 of the ham. It should be even in width and thickly and 

 evenly fleshed so as to give the hog the best possible ap- 

 pearance and the carcass weight. It should be rounded 

 from the loin to the root of the tail and the tail should 

 not be set too low, all of which adds to the beauty and 

 usefulness of the animal. 



The hams should be broad throughout, especially at 

 the upper end, deep, full, well fleshed ; plump but not too 

 fat. A ham of this nature is one that gives the hog 

 strength of back and is one the market demands. It 

 should be oval shaped when cut out and have sufficient 

 lean meat to give it thickness. The ham that contains too 

 much fat is not desirable. Sometimes the ham of a hog 

 has an undue amount of fat immediately above the hock 

 as well as over the entire ham. This is an undesirable 



