Bred Sow Official Results
Provided by the 2016 Texas State Winning 4-H Team, Hansford County 4-H Livestock Judging Team
3-2-4-1 Cuts: 5-2-4
I like the breeding gilts 3241.
I’m quick to find the female who’s got the functionality required for a good brood sow, but it’s her attractive and super cool look from the side that makes her a truly unique breeding piece. She’s more pulled apart between her blades and comes back out of her sternum into a more productive rib cage. But it’s from the side where she’s extra eye catching. It’s impressive how high she shoots her neck out of the top of her blade and from here back she reads dead level down her topline. If she breeds true, she’s going to throw some awfully competitive show hogs in the ring. Now don’t get me wrong, the narrow belted female is longer hipped. But unfortunately, the frailer featured hog just doesn’t compare to the mass and power found within my winner, so she’s 2nd.
Nevertheless, in my closer middle pair, I love the ultra-maternal and feminine look that 2 brings to the matchup. She offers more sweep from her fore rib to her flank and ties this in with the more feminine and refined head and neck. But it’s her structural advantage that sorts the pair as she hits the surface with more flex off her back two. Now there’s no question, if you tied into the stoutness and power found in the wide belted gilt, I’ll buy that switch. The stouter skulled, bigger forearmed hog is wider skeletoned and works more muscle mass throughout. But to no surprise, this comes at a cost to her femininity. She’s a bit courser in her blade and reads a bit shallower bodied, so I feel more comfortable keeping her a competitive 3rd.
However, durability calls for a 4, 1 mark in my final pair. The belted hog is laid farther back in her blade and knee and offers more flex in her hock and hind leg. She does all this on more substance of bone, and if housed in confinement, she’ll last more years in the crate. Sure, I love the extension that the blue gilt has up front. But it’s her structure that drives her 4th. She’s pushed forward in her front skeleton, short hipped, and upright in her rear two. She just concerns me in terms of longevity.
