The influence of breeding young swine upon the parents, the offspring and the breed

Abstract

There is no animal contributing directly to the food supply of the people which is at the same time so genera1ly kept and so little understood as the pig. Nor is there one which, intimately associated as it is with their welfare, is so generally appreciated by the rural classes. While some farmers formerly bred and fed pigs for the purpose of consuming inferior and waste stuff and the production of manure, the farmer of to-day keeps a sow for the profit and satisfaction which she returns him in addition to the above. There are few farms in the United States today upon which there is not a brood sow. The sow occupies a high position with the farmer and contributes more to his prosperity than almost anything to which he devotes attention. America has long been known as a swine-producing country of surpassing excellence, and claims to produce and consume more pork than any other nation. Missouri alone, in 1907. sent to market 3,878,863 head of hogs valued at $38,788,630, and at that time Missouri ranked as fifth state in the Union in swine production. From these statistics one can realize the important part which swine take in the welfare of our nation.