454 MANUAL OF FABM ANIMALS 



and weight are determined largely by the market conditions. 

 Formerly very heavy hogs were in demand, but at the present 

 time pigs weighing from 225 to 250 pounds will command the 

 highest price, all other conditions being equal. 



The true bacon type of hog is little grown in the United States. 

 Denmark, Great Britain, and Canada furnish most of this class 

 of pork. In recent years the American breeders, particularly 

 those east of the corn-belt, have given this class of swine some 

 active consideration, but its production is not hkely to make 

 much headway in America. We prefer the rapid-fattening, 

 heavily fleshed, and early-maturing lard type. In contrasting 

 the general appearance of the bacon type with the lard type, we 

 note that the body of the former lacks the width of the latter, 

 the shoulders and hams are lighter and longer, the body is some- 

 what longer, and the animal stands on somewhat longer legs. 

 The weight of the bacon hog is not so great as of the lard type, 

 American markets preferring 155 to 195 pounds and the Danish 

 markets 160 to 220 pounds. 



Because of the extreme difference in type we will consider 

 the desirable features of the lard- or fat-hog first and then con- 

 trast with it the bacon type, first pausing to discuss the age. 



AGE OF SWINE 



In choosing other classes of farm animals age enters largely 

 into the choice, but in market hogs it is seldom considered except 

 in the case of old sows and stags. The weight and condition of 

 the animal determine the value. As in other farm animals, the 

 age is indicated to a certain extent by the teeth, but the difficulty 

 of catching, holding, and examining is so great that the teeth are 

 seldom, if ever, used to determine the age of swine. Among 

 breeding stock the matter of age is of considerable importance, 

 but even here it is estimated more by a general examination than 

 by any specific character. The older the boar the coarser and 

 heavier the "shields" — outside of shoulder^ and the longer 



