266 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



SWINE-JUDGING SUGGESTIONS FOR PIGCLUB 



MEMBERS. 



Taken From Buretin of Animal Husbandry, U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture. 



Two distinct types of swine have been developed by different 

 methods of breeding and feeding for certain market requirements. 

 They are the lard type and the bacon type. In the United States, 

 swine of the lard type far outnumber those of the bacon type. The 

 lard type often is called the American type of hog, because in this 

 country it has reached its highest development. The people of the 

 United States generally prefer this type of hog for their purposes, 

 consequently the majority of feeders produce the rapid-fattening, 

 heavily fleshed lard type. Corn, which is the principal feed in pro- 

 ducing this type of hog, contains but little of the muscle-forming 

 and mineral substances known as protein and ash, and therefore 

 has a tendency to produce fat at the expense of lean meat. 



The bacon breeds of hogs are not raised in ver}^ large num- 

 bers in the United States. The production of bacon is more 

 general where corn is not relied upon as the principal grain for 

 hogs, even though the so-called lard breeds are used. If the 

 markets demand a better quality of bacon, breeders and feeders 

 will pay more attention to quality and the type of the American 

 or lard breeds doubtless will be modified through change in 

 methods of feeding to meet a large part of such demand. 



The Lard Type of Hog 



The lard hog is low set and compact, with a very wide and 

 deep body. The shoulders should be full, although not coarse, 

 with full hind quarters and hams carried out straight to the root 

 of the tail and thickly fleshed down to the hock. The flesh 

 should be thick and evenly distributed throughout the body. The 

 size and weight are determined largely by market conditions. 

 Formerly very heavy hogs were in demand, but at present ani- 

 mals weighing from 175 to 250 pounds ordinarily command the 

 highest prices. The lard hog does not show the quality and 

 densitv of bone that prevails in the bacon breeds. 



