Influence of Type of Hog on Production Efficiency

Report Introduction: Market demand has always played an important part in determining the type of hogs predominantly raised in this country. The small type was the favorite among breeders of the pure breeds from about 1880 to 1900. Soon after 1900 the small type began to lose its popularity and by 1915 was replaced generally by a type commonly called intermediate. During World War I the pendulum began the swing toward an excessively large type, which reached its climax about the middle of the 1920's. Agitation for a return to an intermediate type got under way, and by 1935 the trend in that direction was well established. However, there has been more or less confusion among hog breeders and farmers for a half century with respect to the type of hog most profitable to the producer and most suitable to the market. Extremely small and extremely large types are still found on farms throughout the country. Although large, intermediate, and small types of hogs have been studied extensively with respect to their economic characters, the results obtained have not always been in agreement and uncertainty still prevails.