Fig. 1. Heifer two years old of the native humped variety
Fig. 2. Beef-draft water buffalos with calves a few weeks old
Fig. 3. Chinese “fat-tailed” variety of sheep
Fig. 4. Chinese lard hogs ready for butchering raised at Canton Christian College
It is interesting to note that years ago the native lard hog of southern China was used to secure desirable characters in two of our most important modern breeds, the Berkshire and the Poland China breeds. However, since that time these western breeds have been further greatly improved by intelligent selection and breeding, while the Chinese hogs have been very little improved, if at all. To-day, in comparing the native Chinese lard hog with the modern western breeds, there is no resemblance in the Chinese hog to the wide, slightly arched back, deep, long sides, deep, full hams, small heads, short legs, and rapid growth of these modern breeds which have, in their origin, blood of the native Chinese lard hog.
Due to slow maturity and undesirable conformation, the Chinese hog is not as economical in converting feeds into meat as is the improved western hog. However, the meat is of good flavor and can be successfully cured. An exception to this is the case of animals that have been largely fed on rice bran, which produces a soft, oily pork, although no difficulty is experienced in curing such pork. Wheat bran produces a firm flesh. If a firm flesh is desired, it is important that rice bran or polish not be fed to hogs during the last six to eight weeks of the fattening period.