The Pig: Breeding, Rearing, and Marketing. Spencer Sanders

who look upon a pig solely as an animal, as a converter of various substances into pork, are of opinion that the tendency of those responsible for the running of these societies is towards fancy points to the detriment of the practical points. There appears to have been some grounds for this view. The Small White, the Small Black, the Berkshire, and the Large White have all been affected by the acts of faddists. The three first-named breeds suffered from the aims of certain of the breeders to reduce the size and to increase the so-called quality until the consumers of pork refused to follow the fashion; whilst the craze which has seriously affected the utility of the Large White pigs has been exactly the opposite, i.e. an endeavour to so vastly increase the size that they ceased to supply the kind of pork and the size of joints which the general public demanded. It may be natural for fanciers to declare that a Small White or a Small Black pig must be a small animal, but this is only on comparison with the large breeds of the same colour and characteristics. The usefulness of the pig in the commercial world must be studied if any breed of pig is to hold its own on the market.

      The opposite extreme to that followed by the breeders of the small breeds is that of the breeders of Large Whites, who look upon mere size as the most important of the points to be studied. The mere increase in bulk, in length of head and leg and weight of bone may appeal to the mere fancier or faddist, but by paying undue attention to these fancy points the actual object of the breeding and fattening of pigs is lost sight of, and the consumer who is after all the one whose wants must first receive study, is estranged and the commercial market is lost.

      In the following pages will be found full particulars together with the scales of points, as issued by the various societies, of the chief breeds and varieties.

STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE

       Table of Contents

      LARGE WHITE

       Colour.—White, free from black hairs, and as free as possible from blue spots on the skin.

       Head.—Moderately long, face slightly dished, snout broad, not too much turned up, jowl not too heavy, wide between the ears.

       Ears.—Long, thin, slightly inclined forward, and fringed with fine hair.

       Neck.—Long, and proportionately full to shoulders.

       Chest.—Wide and deep.

       Shoulders.—Level across the top, not too wide, free from coarseness.

       Legs.—Straight and well set, level with the outside of the body with flat bone.

       Pasterns.—Short and springy.

       Feet.—Strong, even, and wide.

       Back.—Long, level, and wide from neck to rump.

       Loin.—Broad.

       Tail.—Set high, stout and long, but not coarse, with tassel of fine hair.

       Sides.—Deep.

       Ribs.—Well sprung.

       Belly.—Full, but not flabby, with straight under line.

       Flank.—Thick, and well let down.

       Quarters.—Long and wide.

       Hams.—Broad, full, and deep to hocks.

       Coat.—Long and moderately fine.

       Action.—Firm and free.

       Skin.—Not too thick, quite free from wrinkles. Large bred pigs do not fully develop their points until some months old, the pig at five months often proving at a year or 15 months a much better animal than could be anticipated at the earlier age and vice versâ; but size and quality are most important.

       Objections.—Black hairs, black spots, a curly coat, a coarse mane, short snout, inbent knees, hollowness at back of shoulders.

      MIDDLE WHITE

       Colour.—White, free from black hairs or blue spots on the skin.

       Head.—Moderately short, face dished, snout broad and turned up, jowl full, wide between ears.

       Ears.—Fairly large, carried erect and fringed with fine hair.

       Neck.—Medium length, proportionately full to the shoulders.

       Chest.—Wide and deep.

       Shoulders.—Level across the top, moderately wide, free from coarseness.

       Legs.—Straight and well set, level with the outside of body with fine bone.

       Pasterns.—Short and springy.

       Feet.—Strong, even, and wide.

       Back.—Long, level, and wide from neck to rump.

       Loin.—Broad.

       Tail.—Set high, moderately long, but not coarse, with tassel of fine hair.

       Sides.—Deep.

       Ribs.—Well sprung.

       Belly.—Full, but not flabby, with straight under line.

       Flank.—Thick and well let down.

       Quarters.—Long and wide.

       Hams.—Broad, full, and deep to hocks.

       Coat.—Long, fine, and silky.

       Action.—Firm and free.

       Skin.—Fine, and quite free from wrinkles.

       Objections.—Black hairs, black or blue spots, a coarse mane, inbent knees, hollowness at back of shoulders, wrinkled skin.

      TAMWORTH

       Colour.—Golden red hair on a flesh coloured skin, free from black.

       Head.—Fairly long, snout moderately long and quite straight, face slightly dished, wide between ears.

       Ears.—Rather large, with fine fringe, carried rigid and inclined slightly forward.

       Neck.—Fairly long and muscular, especially in boar.

       Chest.—Wide and deep.

       Shoulders.—Fine, slanting, and well set.

       Legs.—Strong and shapely, with plenty of bone and set well outside body.

       Pasterns.—Strong and sloping.

       Feet.—Strong, and of fair size.

       Back.—Long and straight.

       Loin.—Strong and broad.

       Tail.—Set on high and well tasselled.

       Sides.—Long and deep.

       Ribs.—Well sprung and extending well up to flank.

       Belly.—Deep, with straight under line.

       Flank.—Full and well let down.

       Quarters.—Long, wide, and straight from hip to tail.

       Hams.—Broad, and full, well let down to hocks.

       Coat.—Abundant, long, straight, and fine.

       Action.—Firm and free.

       Objections.—Black hair, very light or ginger hair, curly coat, coarse mane, black spots on skin, slouch or drooping ears, short or turned up snout, heavy shoulders, wrinkled skin, inbent