686 SWINE 



ribs are well sprung, and the loin is broad and thick. In the case 

 of breeding stock the back may not appear wide, although feeding 

 would soon give it considerable breadth. The width should be 

 carried the entire length from shoulders to hips, offering excellent 

 room for covering. As one views the back from front or rear, 

 the width should be carried uniformly. A heaviness of front and 

 lightness behind is not in good form, indicating heaviness of 

 shoulder and lightness of loin. A view of the back from the 

 side should show it somewhat arched and strongly carried. A 

 droop of the back or a falling away behind the shoulders is quite 

 common — evidences of a weak back and lack of constitution. 



The hips, rump, and ham involve the highest-priced meat on 

 the modern porker. The hips should be neatly placed and not 

 prominent, and should be smoothly covered with flesh. The 

 rump has a tendency to be droopy, with the tail set low, although 

 good form calls for a long, broad, somewhat level rump, thick- 

 fleshed, with the tail neatly attached fairly well up. Below the 

 rump the hams carry down fairly straight behind or with some 

 outward curve, then rounding into the lower thigh and twist 

 above the hocks. A high-class ham viewed from behind is 

 notably thick, with considerable depth from the tail to the point 

 where the hams join low down at the twist. From the side the 

 relative length is long from the hip point to the lower corner of 

 the ham, while considerable side breadth shows, with a strong, 

 well-turned lower thigh and hock joint. 



The hind legs in natural position should have strong hocks, 

 wide and muscular, yet not fat, standing well apart when viewed 

 from the rear, so that the legs appear quite plumb from that 

 point. Viewed from the side, the hocks should seem deep and 

 the legs below carried down straight, with the pig standing strong 

 on the toes. All the features of quality, bone, and strength of 

 position desirable in the front legs are equally desirable in the 

 hind ones. 



The sides from shoulder to hind flank and ham require a 

 long, well-arched rib. This gives a body of ample digestive or 

 breeding capacity. Not only should the sides be deep, but the 

 lower part of the body in good formation will be wide, thus 

 preserving a straight line from front to hind flank. Such a 



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