Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-05-26
Fashions In Breeding Swine.


In the Swine Department of the
February number Of the Journal, you
refer to a statement to which / wish
to call more particular attention.
You quote as follows:
"The greatest drawback in the
breeding of hogs was, breeding to
some set whim; as a short nose, or
spots Of white or black ins'particular
places. An inch shorter or longer in
nose made but little difference in the
hog, if he was right in other re-
spects."
In your comments you remark:
Of course a long and coarse nose
is Objectionable, as it is mere offal;
but it is very rare indeed that nose,
Objectionable in this respect, can be
found on Berkshire.
If l correctly apprehend the spirit
of your article, it was designed to
show the fallacy of breeders select
ing and valuing breeding stock for
non-essentlals, such as few white
hairs in the wrong place, to the neg
lect of essential characteristics such
great vitality, and in this sense, I
most cordially endorse the article;
but it seems to me some of the state
ments are liable to misrepresentation.
To the casual reader you seem to
class the head of hog as in the
same catalogue of non-essentials, as
stray white hairs, or only objection
able because it is offal. To me the
greatest difficulty in successful swine
farming is, that men persist in re-
garding swine as hogs, and in treat
ing them as hogs. The necessity of
generous and wholesome diet, OF
cleanliness and protection from cx-
tremes of weather, is very generally
conceded to horses, to fine cattle, and
to fowls; but hogs must rough it
around the straw stacks, and act as
the farm scavenger. We take more
pains to give clean food to the ami
NAL we ride than to the animal we
eat. For once let us admit the hog
to the brotherhood of the higher do
nestle animals, and Immediately his
head becomes of Importance. We
determine many of the most essen
tial characteristics of men, of horses
and of cattle by their heads, and why
not of swine? If you seek mild
and even disposition, you never Sc
lect person that is narrow between
the eyes and has a long, sharp nose.
1t Is not one of the least essential
qualities in a good hog, that it should
be quiet and tractable-that it may
not reduce its flesh by roaming, and
that may be easily handled. The ex-
perienced breeder says: 81 should
select an animal with eyes mild and
wide apart, ears not too short and
erect-they should be dropping, nose
short, and face dished."
If you want an easy keeper and
ready tattener, look at the jaw. The
animal may be eyer SO poor; if the
jaw is good, there are possibilities in
it. If you want an animal of great
vitality, you say look for broad,
deep chest, indicating q large heart
and strong lungs; but vitality is in
Dictated by the short, thick neck, as
well as by the capacious chest. Then,
when an intelligent breeder, in as
sorting his herd, selects animals with
short noses, good jowl, and short,
thick necks, it is not with him ques-
ton of pet or otfal, but because he
thinks those indicate certain essential
characteristics of the animal.
"BuRys says an inquirer, "suppose
a hog possesses all the essentials of
a choice animal except the head,
would you reject it?" The force of
this lies in the purpose; and since we
have admitted the hog to the frater-
nifty of animals, let us make another
supposition.
Suppose a Short-horn bull be a
good individual except that it has
horns as large and as long as a Texas
steer, would you reject it as a breed
er? The reply would be: Such a
case is not supposablc; or, if it ex-
listed, it would be an anomaly, and
hence Of no practical bearing.
We have reached the point want
ed to make. 1t is this: The animal
cannot be all right, and the head all
wrong. 1t is not merely the selec-
ton and breeding that makes the
short nose and fine head; it Is care,
food, management, vitality; in fine,
every thing that tends to develop a
superior animal, tends to develop q
superior head. There is unity IN the
animal. A fine, external form, is the
result of superior internal organ
ism. A well developed ham and
broad loin, indicate healthy and
active kidney; the long, we'll sprung
rib, denotes capacity of stomach; the
clean, pink skin and lively air denote
an active liver, and the absence of in
ternal fever; the capacious chest, is
the sign OF large and active lungs;
the thick, short neck, and broad
heavy jowl, indicate vital power in
the hog; the short nose and wide
head, are the sign of quiet dispo-
sition, docility and good handler; the
large jowl denotes superior assimu-
lating power, to the feeder one of the
most important functions in the ami
NAL economy. But l now intend to
discuss the head only. If you want
a hog that is perpetually swapping at
the other hogs, and is never satisfied
with its food, get long, sharp-nosed
hog. If you want an animal that
gets out of its nest, goes to the trough