cle of normal size and the other smaller,
ordinarily suffers from the same disqualification to a lesser extent. A
ruptured boar should not on any account be used, as this weakness is
strongly hereditary. The weakness may not possibly show itself in the
first generation, but it is certain to appear sooner or later. Not only
is it a sure index of weakness of constitution, but pigs so affected
occasionally die suddenly, whilst there is always a certain amount of
risk from the operation of castration.

Occasionally one or more of the boar pigs of a litter will be found to
be malformed, in that only one of the testicles is apparent. Generally
speaking, the other is found when the pig is killed to be attached to
the inside of the pig, and thus is unable to descend into the scrotum or
purse, so that the act of castration is only partially performed. A boar
pig with only one testicle down is commonly termed a rig. The removal of
one of the testicles does not deprive the rig of reproducing its
species, and it is thus a source of continual trouble when herded with a
lot of sow pigs now that the general custom is to allow the female pigs
of a litter to remain unspayed. It is, therefore, necessary to fatten a
rig either alone, or with male pigs which have been operated upon. In
addition to this extra trouble, the flesh of a rig pig if it be kept
fattening after it is some five or six months old is almost certain to
be strong in flavour, like unto that of a boar. It is, therefore,
advisable to fatten a rig quite early in life and convert it into a
porket or porker carcase of pork.

It may appear strange to some readers to specially mention the teats of
the boar, but it is equally as necessary to avoid boars having small
teats, teats unevenly placed, and commencing any distance from the fore
legs, and blind teats, as it is in the case of the sow, since any
weaknesses of the kind are equally as hereditary from the boar as from
the sow.

CHAPTER VI

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,