Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-09-14
Breeding Swine.

the business long until | discovered
that unskillful, hapshazard breed
ing would not pay. [ found that
it was as important | should un,
derstand what points were necessary
to constitute a perfect hog, as il
was for builder to understand the
number and size of the different
wheels that might be required in a
wooden or cotton mill, to do GER
tain kind or amount of work.
found, also, that plan or model OIL
a perfect hog would be useless, I'M
less | learned how to reproduce the
different points OF the model in real
or living hogs.
In short newspaper Article | can
only give the most important rules
by which successful swine breeders
have been guided. But 1 am con-
fdent that by observing them, a
class OF hogs could lie produced
which would prove much more
profitable and be less liable TO at
tacks of the cholera and other dis
eases, than the thousands OF quaint
and shapeless animals which could
be found at the present time in
nearly every part Of the country
That the physical detects Of the
parents will be transmitted to their
offspring to greater or less extent,
is general rule which should be
carefully avoided.
The mistake which is made often
est by farmers when selecting pigs
to be used as breeders, is in ignor-
ing tie value OF points, and giving
the preference to those which are
largest. Size is desirable, but it is
more important that hogs should
have strong constitutions and be in
clined to tatten readily, than that
they should be large and not have
these qualities. When | examine
hogs for the purpose of determining
their value as breeders, l invariably
look first to see if they are well de-
veloped around the lungs or not.
Such animals as do not have
broad, level backs and plenty OF
lung room, should be discarded, as
they would be liable to contract and
suffer swine diseases, and would
probably transmit this detect to
their offspring. A large, Or feshy,
jowl, or cheek is an important
point, also, because it is the dis
tiEguishing mark which indicates
whether hog will fatten readily
on small quantity of food or not.
As hogs are grown exclusively for
their flesh and fat, when selecting
PIGS for breeders, much would be
gained by dlscarding those which
have large heads, thick, coarse ears,
and long, bOny legs, IS growth be-
yond a certain limit in these parts
is worthless.
After removing the head, if the
body of well proportional pig
should be cut into three parts at
the usual points, the shoulder, side
and hams would be OF equal length.
White hogs frequently suffer- from
skin diseased. while those which
are black do not. the improved
breeds Of swine generally mature
at about two years of age, although
when well fed the greater part Of
their growth is made in from ten to
twelve months. But large pro-
portion OF the hogs in all parts Of
the country have been produced by
young sows, before the completion
Of the period in which they should
have made their most rapid growth.
In all such instances the vital
energies OF immature sows were
compelled to do double work. In
stead of breeding at twelve months
Of age and getting seven or cigat
strong, healthy pigs. We have bred
them only eight months old, and
got filters Of three or tour weak and
sickly pigs, which were comp "a
lively worthless. In such instrn-
ces we compelled nature to DO
double work, but could not oblige
her 10 do it in a workmanliko mall
ner. Sows which are known to be
good breeders and good nurses
shonld be kept as long as they
will take good care of their pigs.
al ale hOrs should not bo ,eoJ ,,,,.;1 |