The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1916-03-23
THE RED BERKSHIRE
HAS CONF TO STAY.
THE Swine World)


whisKey and her bluegrass pastures.
But somehow or other when hog man
goes down in to that state, and sees
what really big industry the hog BUSH
ness has attained there, he wonders
Just why the Kentucky porkers have
not received their share Of credit from
the blue grass press agents.
Down there in old "Kentuck" you
will find hogs galore and all kinds of
them. As one travels thru that rolling
lime stone country one can't help but
envy those Kentucky farmers.
They call it Gods country" down
there in Madison. Garrsrd and Lincoln
counties and we believe it Is rightly
named.
The writer vert down into Kentucky
to learn something about that breed of
hogs called Red Berkshire which are
now coming into prominence. In the
three above named counties is where
the Red Berkshire is found most COM
mon.
The writer had seen some of these
red hogs at the Kentucky state fair
last September, and. as there has been
considerable controversy regarding
their name and considerable interest
created in the hogs themselves, took
a week off and went down into the blue
grass state to get the "facts about this
breed"
visited some eight or tea of the
more prominent Red Berkshire breeders
IN the above named counties and aside
from being shown some good hogs.
was entertained in true Kentucky style
and most royalty to be sure.
To most people Red Berkshires are
new breed. but not to a Kentuckisp.
Those hogs have been bred by people
in Central Kentucky for one hundred
years. according to breeders in that
section. They have been known in the
state as long, or perhaps longer. than
any breed of swine.
Back in the early days, along about
1880, John W. Walker and Hilery Gibbs
Of Garrard county KY, drove hogs to
the Southern market. In the fall of
year they would buy up hogs in lots of
400 and 500 and start for North Caro-
lina When they left Garrard county
these hogs would weigh from 100 to $50
pounds. The trip to South Carolina
racu,ra manu- uaaL q 70 coycpl..t.. ~ A.
way, these shippers would buy corn of
farmers to feed their hogs. When they
reached the Southern market, about
Christmas, the hogs would be in high
flesh and hard as nails and consequently
IN splennid condition to kill. They would
sell them at market prices. which, in
those days ranged from 2 to s cents.
Because of this long journey south,
these Kentucky shippers had to prac-
tice rigorous selection of their animals.
They had to secure animals especially
strong in their feet and back in order
to stand the long drive south.
These shippers found the red hogs,
which later became known as Red
Berkshires. admirably adapted for this
purpose. The red hogs" were good
drivers. They were good on their
feet and could stand the long drive ard |
at the same time steadily put on flesh.
These hogs were hardy, and vigorous.
good in their backs and were the kind |
that would rustic for themselves.
When railroads were built in Kentuc-
ky and hogs were no longer driven to
the market, these red hogs were used
a great deal by the farmers and cattle /
feeders. They were especially good to
follow cattle because of their ability to
get about and hustle for themselves.
They have been very popular in Central
Kentucky and when once used by man
were ever after kept by his family and
descendants.
No bunch of men ever organized to
push this breed and put them before
the public until 1918 and this accounts
for the hog not being more commonly
known.
WHERE THEY GOT THEIR NAME
In the early days this breed WAS
known as ''red hogs, being easy to
from other hogs, because
they were the only red breed hogs in
that country at that time.
In one county they were called Silver
Greek Reds, Silver Creek being the
name of stream running thru that
section. Later they began calling the
hogs Red Berkshires because the type
was somewhat similar to the black
Berkshires at that time. Since then
the black Berkshire type has changed
considerably and now the Red Berkshire
show AN entirely different type from
that of the modern Berkshire. The
name Red Berks shire is misleading be-
cause the two breeds are not at all SIM
liar. The Red Berkshire men claim
that the breed has been kept pure for
many years and this statement is veri-
fed by the remarkable prepotency Of
the hogs when crossed with other breeds.
Now about the tyre. The Red Berk-
shire type is more similar to that of
the Hampshire than that of any other
breed. The color is red, varying from
a deep cherry TO light yellow. White
feet and white spots on forehead are
common. The head is medium length.
somewhat narrow. medium width be-