696 SWINE 



Occasionally pure-bred Berkshires are found in the herd that are 

 irregular in color or markings. The author has seen a number of 

 animals in service marked with white on the body where it is 

 not expected to occur, and he has also seen on several occasions 

 Berkshires with hair of a noticeable tint of red or copper color. 

 This red tint in the hair is not an uncommon characteristic and 

 is no doubt an inheritance from the early Berkshire parentage. 

 In fact a breed of red Berkshires is credited to Kentucky, the red 

 hair being a distinctive feature. If color is important in breed 

 identification, then it should be reasonably uniform in character, 

 and distinct irregularities should justify disqualification. In fact, in 

 1893 the British Berkshire Society suggested that judges disqualify 

 pigs notably irregular in markings or with black face or foot. 



The size of the Berkshire pig may by classed as medium to 

 large. In 1842 Low wrote that "the true Berkshires are of the 

 larger races of swine." In 1893 Professor Long wrote: 



Thirty years ago . . . some of Mr. Sadler's prize pigs under seven months 

 old weighed 240 pounds each, although they were turned out into an orchard 

 daily while- fattening. The same gentleman exhibited, and won the first prize 

 at Baker Street with a fat pig which weighed 856 pounds, the length of her 

 body being 6 feet 4 inches and her girth 7 feet 6 inches. At that time, how- 

 ever, the ordinary weight of a well-bred Berkshire bacon hog was, when ready 

 for the butcher, about 50 stone of 8 pounds (400 pounds), but for the curing 

 of the best hams these were generally considered a little too large. 



The Berkshire is sometimes advertised under the name " Large 

 English Berkshire," but in England only one Berkshire breed exists, 

 and the title " Large English " is rather uncalled for and misleading. 

 Young pigs at six months old should easily weigh 175 pounds 

 and at one year about 300 pounds. The ordinary mature boar in 

 breeding condition should weigh 500 pounds and sows 400 pounds. 

 The British Berkshire Society gives the following as standard 

 weights ;! "Berkshire sows at six months of age in ordinary 

 growing condition, given proper exercise, weigh from 150 to 160 

 pounds and boars from 160 to 170 pounds. Sows in breeding 

 condition weigh from 400 to 500 pounds at one year of age and 

 550 to 650 pounds when full grown. Boars one year old have 

 been known to weigh 600 pounds in show condition." The latter 



^ Annual Report (1917), p. 11. 

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