THE PIG INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 81, 30 December 1907, Page 2

THE PIG INDUSTRY.

CHOOBINC A BOAR. It is very true that the." boar is half.tha ■ herd," and proper selection is as necessary with him as with the sow (writes a pig expert in the " Live Stock Journalln. a', general way the same points are required' as ■ in a sow, but others are inore especially rilas-.' online ones, and these will well repay study when choice has to be: made, though, 'of course, many small pig-keepers, and farmers who keep but few pigs, may have to put up with second best if pig-breeding is" not .much carried ori in their neighbourhood. Prolificacy seems to be just as likely from a boar weaned from a large litter as it is with a sow, much as is the case with twin lambs, though there ; is difference of opinion on tlie latter,-point;,,! but tho iiuprossiveness of the boar in the. s form of the produce is stronger than, frith the sow, which has more inlluenco in the "in- , ternal organisation. • ' V This feature is seen, amongst others, in tha':! number and position of' the boar's teats, ia ' the offspring. They are apparently-useful,,: as in bulls, but little seems to be known of their function, which is doubtless of some'value, as a good deal of' importance iis at- . tached by some people to those in the bull.'. Some of these aro often blind; and many exhibition pigs wore affected in this way some years ago. • Tho general opinion seems to be , that this failing is hereditary, whether in boar or sow,, and that, pedigree pigs hayo shown it coiispicuouslyrseciiis to" go to prov«>! this.. ' ■ ...[ :■!^ ( ,. !;.. The sexual'orgaris should, be as this lias been found to be often an inaica-! tiori of vigour; a bright and lively.eye means", activity in this respect. Rupture should.',be looked out for,l ana, tho. boar shpujd be.'ro-'' fused even. if lie lias begotten.' only, a fqW ruptured pigs. This complaint is hereditary t also, on. the other side of the family. It is desirable to get a boar from an old-' established herd, as if the breeding is recent the type is not fixed, and'the produce maj... vary greatly from th'o original stock and the piglings bo'very dissimilar in appearance.,. it is noticeable that most boars that hav«' made a' name for themselves have not lieen of large dimensions. Very large boars wean,, out quickest, 1 arid a moderate size is best. .Groat sizo leads to various infirmities, an<J" 'such'boars are nioro likely to go wrong'in tho spine or hindquarters . than sinallel animals. -Tho logs ana, joints aro more likely, also, to fail, and of course these defects are serious, being hereditary and sometimes very, difficult to breed out. How foolish it is to keep boars in the careless and filthy quarters in which they are often foundj perhaps ill-fed and with no' means of taking exercise! The latter"is or' considerable importance, as it is with a brbod sow, mid the sty should be largo enough-to permit, this. But some boars aro lazy and are'apt to get too fat-, and for. these a pasture without' much other food is best, and some people say that this makes tho best boar in any case if he has enough shade in the summer, "for pigs love to be cool. In-, other cases they!will exorcise themselves in a sty of 'moderate dimensions. As Professor ,G. E. Day remarks, there are few farm animals that receive less attention than .the boar, but ho .should have more consideration : than the average male animal if wo want to ' get the best results" While, the over-fat boar does not mako. a satisfactory', sir't^the'' half-starved brand cannot transmit- Vigour and constitution to his progeny to. the'same, degree that he would' if' properly .jnanaged. 1 To get the best results the boar should'be in fair flesh, but should he allowed "sufficient exercise to keep him in a hardy, Vigorous condition." His pasterns should be short,' , and his neck muscular and of • moderate , length;.a thick and.short neck, though it may . indicate feeding qualities, is not a good for.'. ■nation, nor are wide or upright-!shou(defs.\; In fact, tho more tho flosh is laid on'.behind tlio shoulders, instead of in front, tho bettor.the profit, us the present tendency of the' market shows.' ; ' As with sows),. a very long or a. very .slibrbj head should be avoided, as tho former, except in the' Tamworths, generally means :a. narrow head and a weak constitution; with . rather too much bone.; while the latter is very apt to be associated, with .too' much' weight in the fore end—a thick nock, and \ heavy shoulders. All tho same, a thick neck, is a bettor, formation than a long snout and thin forcquarters,' for a pig of this kind is, abad doer and of a roving disposition, whereas! a thick neck betokens aptitude .to. easily' fatten, and a peaceful disposition. A boar with a long snout, too, is not likely to ho so prepotent as an % animal which has been , improved through inoro generations, because it is nearer tho primitive type. A full flank is of importance, especially in a bacon pig, the hams being also generally bettor developed when the ffciak is good, but to get good hams the legs should not bo long, for, this so ofton moans a flat ham. Even more' -important, perhaps, is a. thick loin,' for. a good loin almost always goes with a good rib and a good constitution; and how often are flat-ribbed pigs, and narrow ' through , the heart, seen. Whether for brooding stnd or store pigs the boar should bo as good as possible iu theso two points,.but tho great depth! of body which is somctimos seon makes tho animal unwioldy, if not weak. A good deal of iniportauco is attached to the.hair, an abundance of which seems to bo most in favour. Whethor.it should bo silky or curly, or not, depends' to' some 'extent on tho breed, biit too curly, or.coarse, hair or an over-abundant coat is not desirable, sinco fineness of hair, bono and skin all indicate »' good quality of flesh. Good hair also indicates lean moat and a good thriving pig',' and whero there is not too much ana tho cars arc not coarse (which shows a ttilclc skin throughout) tho skin is generally of a good quality. Some judges do not (now lo lita much' hair, but its absenco is to ho avoidiid, an it seems generally tc arise from . in-and-in breeding, and, moreover, snc.li pies tnnd to get excessively fat. A Largo White. boar comes, perhaps, best up to tho iijovo standard.