SELECTION OF THE SOW
It is impossible to agree with the view held by so many persons that the
necessity for the same care is non-existent in the selection of a sow as
in the choice of a boar. We hold that the desirability for studying the
forbears, especially the dam, of a young sow intended for breeding
purposes is fully as great as when selecting the young boar, since many,
if not most, of the qualities which we desire the brood sow to possess
are strongly hereditary. Take, for instance, the question of gentleness
or a quiet disposition, it follows from dam to produce with a regularity
equal to that of bad temper, and the latter is wellnigh a certainty.
Again, whoever found that the female produce of a sow deficient in the
maternal instincts proved, if saved for breeding purposes, to be a
really good mother? As a rule the daughters of a sow which gives but a
small quantity of milk, and that of an inferior quality, are also cursed
with the same grievous failings, but this does not appear to be
universally the case, since the milking qualities of the dam descend
through her sons, so that if the female progenitors of the boar have
been good milkers it is probable that the boar's daughters may be able
to rear their pigs successfully, even if their dam had not been in the
habit of suckling her pigs well.
Still, it is quite safe to assert that with this one exception we may
fairly anticipate that the good qualities which we seek in a sow are far
more likely to be found in the sow pigs of a sow herself the possessor,
than from one which does not possess them. We are inclined to the belief
that the alleged failure of some pedigree yelts to make good brood sows
is in the main due to the continued selection for breeding purposes of
those pure-bred yelts which show early maturing and flesh-forming
qualities, rather than that motherly look which is almost invariably to
be found in a sow which is prolific, a free milker, and a really good
mother. There is a marked difference in the formation of a milk-giving
and a fat-producing sow--the latter is generally somewhat heavy in the
shoulders, has a muscular or fat neck, is rather short in the head and
heavy in the jowl, and is altogether more compactly built, whereas a
good brood sow has rather a long face, is wide between the eyes, has a
light muscular neck, is fine in the shoulders, possesses long and square
quarters and appears to be heavier in the hind than in the forequarters.
She is somewhat more loosely built and often shows less of quality.
Thickness of flank and length of side are desirable, the first as
indicating substance and flesh, whilst the second gives plenty of room
for her pigs to suck. The bone should be of good quality; the same
remarks apply to the skin and hair.
About half a century since there existed a fancy, which almost amounted
to a craze for sows of small size; they could not be too neat, and
showing too much so-called feminine character. The almost certain result
of selecting the neatest of the female pigs followed, the fat pigs sent
to market were light in weight, deficient in lean meat and rightly named
"animated bladders of lard." Within about the same distance of time it
was the common practice of exhibitors of pigs at the Smithfield Club's
Shows to provide pillows in the form of round pieces of wood on which
the fat pigs rested their heads so that these were raised in order to
prevent the pigs becoming suffocated. In addition, the pigs were fed on
forcing foods until they were at least one and a half year old and
allowed to take, or were given little exercise, with the result that the
pork consisted mainly of soft fat or lard. To such an extent had this
craze for neatness been followed that the bacon curers and consumers of
pork wellnigh ceased to purchase or consume pork.
At the present time we are afraid that the tendency is in the opposite
direction, and mere size is receiving far too much attention. At some of
our agricultural shows the judges select for honour great unwieldly sows
which could not possibly perform with any amount of success those
maternal duties which a brood sow is supposed to be kept solely to
perform. An extremely large sow is very frequently a poor milker, the
quantity of milk she gives is not large, nor does she continue to give
even this reduced supply for a period long enough to allow her young to
grow strong enough to make a good start in life on their own account.
Another great objection to a sow of extreme size is that her produce
almost invariably take after her to such an extent that it is difficult,
if not wellnigh impossible, to make them fat until they are from nine to
twelve months old, and by that time they are too large and heavy for the
general demand which is at the present time, and likely to become still
more so in the future, for small joints of meat which carry a large
proportion of lean and a limited quantity of bone. The most successful
manufacturer is he who most nearly supplies the consumer with that which
he requires or fancies. We are not moved by the contention of breeders
of pedigree pigs that the most valuable pig is the one which possesses
in the greatest degree those special points which are characteristic of
the breed, as, for instance, size in the pigs of the Large White, the
Large Black, and the Lincolnshire Curly Coated pigs, therefore the
biggest pigs should be held in the highest esteem. In our opinion the
best, as it is in the long run the most profitable, is the pig which
furnishes to the greatest extent exactly the kind of meat in the most
general demand.
In addition to these objections to an extremely large and ungainly sow
is the fact that such an one is invariably clumsy in the breeding pen,
she is almost certain to lay on some of her pigs. It is even alleged
that her period of usefulness as a breeder is shorter than that of a sow
of ordinary size.
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[Illustration: _Photo, Sport and General._
TAMWORTH BOAR: BISHOP OF WEBTON. Owner, C. L. Coxon. 1st and Champion,
Royal Show.
To face page 64]
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[Illustration: _Photo, G. H. Parsons, Rostrevor._
GLOUCESTER OLD SPOT SOW. From the herd of Lord Sherbourne.
To face page 65.]