CHAPTER VIII. 

 METHODS OF BREEDING. 



In the practice of swine breeding there are three prin- 

 cipal methods in vogue, — breeding pure-bred hogs, grad- 

 ing, and cross breeding. 



PURE BRED SWINE. 



The pure bred hog is one whose sire and dam are both 

 pure bred. During the earlier history of the breeds, a 

 pure bred animal was one from a herd or strain that had 

 been bred along certain lines for a considerable length of 

 time. Also when the breeds were being developed, vari- 

 ous record associations used to accept for record an ani- 

 mal that was produced from stock without any particular 

 breeding by a number of crosses with a pure bred sire. 

 This was considered essentially a pure bred animal. 

 While it is true that such a system never would eliminate 

 the last trace of unimproved blood, an animal bred in this 

 way is for all intents and purposes as good as a pure 

 bred animal. At the present time, however, in order to 

 be considered pure bred an animal must be recorded in 

 some one of the various records. 



The practice of pure breeding in itself consists of vari- 

 ous degrees of breeding as follows: Out crossing. Line 

 breeding. Close breeding, and Inbreeding. 



Out Crossing. — This consists in the mating of animals 

 that are both pure bred and of the same breed, but not or 

 very remotely related. This is considered a good kind of 



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