Pig Raising: A Manual for Pig ClubsNolan, Aretas Wilbur
Science
Pig Raising: A Manual for Pig Clubs
Nolan, Aretas Wilbur
Swine
The pig to be weighed is securely fastened in the crate and the horse
placed over it so that the ring or hook of steelyards is nearly over
the center. The crate is then raised sufficiently to place 2×4 blocks
under it, and it is then fastened to the steelyards by means of a chain
or rope. The scale weight on the steelyards can be approximately placed
before the blocks are removed from under the crate. To remove blocks,
draw down on long end of steelyards, which will raise the crate from the
blocks and allow them to be easily removed. After the crate swings free
the scale weight can be carefully adjusted to ascertain exactly the gross
weight of the pig and crate. The weight of pig can, of course, be easily
ascertained by subtracting the weight of crate from the gross weight.
There are advantages in this arrangement for weighing, in addition to
its being inexpensive. The parts can easily be moved from place to
place without injury, and can be placed in any pen or hog lot without
difficulty, which is not always the case with platform or other scales.
PART III
SWINE
=Origin.= The ancestors of the hogs found on American farms came from two
sources, southeastern Asia and western Europe. These two families of hogs
are often designated by the names _Sus Indica_ and _Sus Scrofa_. Although
the word _sus_ is Latin, boys or girls who feed pigs use it when they
call “sui, sui,” to the pigs at feeding time.
[Illustration: 6. A RAZOR-BACK]
_Sus Indica_, a native of China, was a small, fine-boned animal much
prized by the people of southeastern Asia. Descendants of _Sus Scrofa_,
the wild boar of western Europe, are still hunted in forests and private
game preserves. The wild boar is a large, ferocious animal with thin hams
and a heavy shield. From its Chinese ancestor the modern hog has derived
its form and quality; from the wild boar it has obtained its size and
vigor.
Swine were probably introduced into this country by early Spanish
explorers. For many years wild hogs were found in the everglades of
Florida. It is recorded that Jamestown had to be fenced to keep out
the wild hogs, descendants of those brought over by earlier settlers.
Although the ancestors of the hog came from China and western Europe, it
remained for English breeders to blend the two and develop the earlier
breeds.
The earlier breeds like the Berkshire were developed where corn is not
grown successfully. Under such conditions the bacon-type of hog was
produced.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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