232 SWINE 



A great mistake is often made by regarding all regis- 

 tered pigs as good individuals. This is not necessarily 

 true and in fact is very seldom true. As stated in Part I., 

 there is the same degree of variation with pure bred pigs 

 that there is with scrubs and grades, and the breeder 

 who is to succeed must be just as careful in selecting his 

 individuals from registered pigs as he would be in select- 

 ing his individuals if he were simply producing pork hogs 

 for the market from scrubs or grades. 



If only the best individuals were recorded, the buyer 

 would be safeguarded when buying a registered pig, but- 

 many breeders, especially many of those who have de- 

 veloped a big reputation, have placed on record and sell 

 for pure bred purposes more than the best individuals. 

 Besides this different breeders have different types in 

 mind, and what is considered a good individual by one 

 breeder may not be so considered by another. 



Herd Records. — In order to keep herd records of pure 

 bred individuals as well as of the offspring, various pri- 

 vate herd records are in use. One that was designed by 

 the writer and is in use at the Illinois Experiment Station 

 is shown in cuts 25 and 26. 



The first cut represents the form that is used to keep 

 the record of the herd boars and the breeding of the sows. 

 The first part of this book is given up entirely to pages 

 of this kind wherein a record is kept of herd boars. A 

 greater part of the rest of the book is given up to pages of 

 this character alternately with pages represented in 

 cut 26. 



As will be seen this gives an opportunity to keep a 

 complete record of the breeding of the litters as well as 

 of the individual pigs of the litter. It also provides for 

 four litters on one page which does not necessitate so 



