THE BREEDING SEASON 213 



mentioned places, especially in the east and south, are 

 usually of this type and are slaughtered during the fall 

 and early winter to supply the home demand. After these 

 are consumed, the general pork markets must be called 

 upon for further supply, which creates a demand for fresh 

 meat together with the demand that comes from the other 

 parts of the country and which is more or less constant. 

 The winter season demands heavy hogs because this is 

 the packing season and heavy hogs are better adapted to 

 this purpose than light hogs. They are better because 

 they contain less water in the carcass and therefore more 

 nutrient value, and also they contain more fat. The fat- 

 tened pig, except for the production of bacon, is better 

 adapted to packing purposes than the lean pig. The older 

 and heavier the hog, as a rule, the more fat he contains ; 

 cofisequently the packing season during winter calls for 

 heavy hogs. 



Pork Hogs. — The time at which a sow is bred should be 

 such that the pigs can be taken to market at a desirable 

 weight when the market for such hogs is the best. This 

 naturally brings into consideration the manner in which 

 these pigs are to be fed or the length of the feeding pe- 

 riod. If pigs are to be well fed from the time they learn 

 to eat so as to get them to the greatest weight in the 

 shortest time, the sow may have to be bred at an entirely 

 dififerent time than would be the case if the pigs were to 

 be fed more slowly. 



The time at which the sow is to be bred will also de- 

 pend in a large measure upon the available shelter. If 

 comfortable hog houses are at hand, the sow may be bred 

 to farrow earlier in the spring of the year than if such 

 shelter were not at hand. 



The number of litters per year also exercises an influ- 



