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from Types and Breeds of Farm Animals by C. S. Plumb (1920)
from: Part IV Swine
CHAPTER LXXI - THE MULE-FOOT
The name " Mule-Foot" is given this breed for the reason that it has a solid hoof, suggestive of the narrow foot of the mule, instead of the cloven one common with swine.
The native home of Mule-Foot swine is not satisfactorily established. Various claims have been made on this point, but it is generally admitted that the evidence is very superficial. They have been bred in Sweden and Norway for a century or more, it is said, and Kreglow states1 that Linnaeus, the noted Swedish scientist, classified this type in 1735. He also states that mulefoot swine were extensively bred in England by Lord Reagh as far back as about 1810.
The introduction of Mule-Foot swine to America is of uncertain date. It is not a nativebreed, and no doubt was brought here long ago, possibly from northern Europe. J. H. Dunlap, a noted breeder, has stated that these hogs have been known in America for a hundred years2 and refers to the fact that for many years they have been bred by members of the Dunkard Church, although he does not mention the locality. The claim has also been made that these pigs were brought from the South Sea Islands about 1850.
The characteristics of Mule-Foot swine, as seen in the improved form of to-day, suggest the Poland-China, excepting for the ear and single hoof. The head is short, very nearly straight of face or quite so, and the cars are of medium size and incline forward, rather than stand erect or break over. The general conformation is typical of the lard type, with a fairly wide back and wide, deep, full ham. A slight arch of back is sought. As already noted, the hoofs arc of one piece instead of cloven. The color of the Mule-Foot, including the feet, is a pronounced black, but white spots sometimes occur and are admissible.
The size of the Mule-Foot places it in the medium class, although on the basis of some claims it might be regarded as a large breed. Dunlap states that the Mule-Foot equals the Poland-China and Duroc-Jersey in size, easily attaining weights from 600 to 800 pounds, while Kreglow places the weight for the sows at 400 to 500 pounds at maturity, with 100 pounds more for the boar. "Some of our brood sows," he writes, "could be fattened to weigh 700 and one of our herd boars will weigh 1000 pounds." By the standard a boar two years old should weigh 500 pounds, a sow of the same age 450, and a twelve-months boar or sow 300 pounds.
The feeding qualities of Mule-Foot swine are said to rank very well. In recent years they show much sign of improvement and without doubt will fatten satisfactorily.
The quality of meat of the Mule-Foot ordinarily shows superior mingling of lean and fat and is more comparable with the Berkshire than the Poland-China. Dunlap regards the bacon of this breed as an intermediate between the lard and bacon type. In the more improved form it suggests the lard type.
The prolificacy of the Mule-Foot swine is of moderate degree. The average size of two hundred litters reported by Kreglow was eight plus, and these included ninety-one gilts with their first litters.
The prepotency of the Mule-Foot is a pronounced characteristic. Not only is the general conformation and color transmitted but in crossbreeding it is said that the solid hoof is reproduced to "a remarkable degree."
The immunity of Mule-Foot swine to cholera has been claimed on various occasions, and early in the present century, prior to 1910, much publicity was given to this statement. As a fair sample of the claims made in behalf of the breed, the following by R. G. Long is quoted :3 "Mule-Foot breeders do claim that their hogs will not take the cholera from being confined with cholera infected hogs, and I believe that their animals have made good on that claim." In 1910 J. H. Dunlap published this statement:4
I have a list of two hundred and forty-five Mule-Foot breeders in twenty-five states, furnished me by C. E. Quinn of the United States Department of Agriculture, and have written to a great many of them regarding the immunity of the Mule-Foot hog. They have all replied that they have never known a full-blood Mule-Foot to die with cholera. Mr. Quinn also wrote me that he was unable to learn of Mule-Foot hogs dying with cholera in the thirteen states in which he investigated the claim of immunity.
These statements, however, are not supported by veterinarians, and the author is informed by an official of the Ohio State Veterinarians' office that in 1914 hog cholera was brought to the Ohio State Fair by a herd of Mule-Foot hogs exhibited the previous week at the Forest City Fair at North Randall. It is not regarded as impossible for herds of these hogs, under certain conditions, to contract cholera.
The distribution of Mule-Foot swine is quite widespread at the present time. There are many breeders in the corn belt, especially in Ohio and Indiana. Messrs. J. H. Dunlap of Pickaway County, Ohio, and C. G. Kreglow of Hardin County have long been prominent improvers and active exhibitors and promoters of the breed and have interested many persons in establishing herds.
The promotion of Mule-Foot swine has been taken up by two registry associations — the National Mule-Foot Association, organized in 1908 at Indianapolis, and the American Mule-Foot Record Association, with headquarters at Columbus, Ohio.
1 C. G. Kreglow, The Mule-Foot hog. A pamphlet.
2 American Agriculturist, March 10, 1910.
3 Ohio Farmer, July 8, 1911.
4 National Stockman and Farmer, March 3, 1910.
CHAPTER LXXI - THE MULE-FOOT
The name " Mule-Foot" is given this breed for the reason that it has a solid hoof, suggestive of the narrow foot of the mule, instead of the cloven one common with swine.
The native home of Mule-Foot swine is not satisfactorily established. Various claims have been made on this point, but it is generally admitted that the evidence is very superficial. They have been bred in Sweden and Norway for a century or more, it is said, and Kreglow states1 that Linnaeus, the noted Swedish scientist, classified this type in 1735. He also states that mulefoot swine were extensively bred in England by Lord Reagh as far back as about 1810.
The introduction of Mule-Foot swine to America is of uncertain date. It is not a nativebreed, and no doubt was brought here long ago, possibly from northern Europe. J. H. Dunlap, a noted breeder, has stated that these hogs have been known in America for a hundred years2 and refers to the fact that for many years they have been bred by members of the Dunkard Church, although he does not mention the locality. The claim has also been made that these pigs were brought from the South Sea Islands about 1850.
The characteristics of Mule-Foot swine, as seen in the improved form of to-day, suggest the Poland-China, excepting for the ear and single hoof. The head is short, very nearly straight of face or quite so, and the cars are of medium size and incline forward, rather than stand erect or break over. The general conformation is typical of the lard type, with a fairly wide back and wide, deep, full ham. A slight arch of back is sought. As already noted, the hoofs arc of one piece instead of cloven. The color of the Mule-Foot, including the feet, is a pronounced black, but white spots sometimes occur and are admissible.
The size of the Mule-Foot places it in the medium class, although on the basis of some claims it might be regarded as a large breed. Dunlap states that the Mule-Foot equals the Poland-China and Duroc-Jersey in size, easily attaining weights from 600 to 800 pounds, while Kreglow places the weight for the sows at 400 to 500 pounds at maturity, with 100 pounds more for the boar. "Some of our brood sows," he writes, "could be fattened to weigh 700 and one of our herd boars will weigh 1000 pounds." By the standard a boar two years old should weigh 500 pounds, a sow of the same age 450, and a twelve-months boar or sow 300 pounds.
The feeding qualities of Mule-Foot swine are said to rank very well. In recent years they show much sign of improvement and without doubt will fatten satisfactorily.
The quality of meat of the Mule-Foot ordinarily shows superior mingling of lean and fat and is more comparable with the Berkshire than the Poland-China. Dunlap regards the bacon of this breed as an intermediate between the lard and bacon type. In the more improved form it suggests the lard type.
The prolificacy of the Mule-Foot swine is of moderate degree. The average size of two hundred litters reported by Kreglow was eight plus, and these included ninety-one gilts with their first litters.
The prepotency of the Mule-Foot is a pronounced characteristic. Not only is the general conformation and color transmitted but in crossbreeding it is said that the solid hoof is reproduced to "a remarkable degree."
The immunity of Mule-Foot swine to cholera has been claimed on various occasions, and early in the present century, prior to 1910, much publicity was given to this statement. As a fair sample of the claims made in behalf of the breed, the following by R. G. Long is quoted :3 "Mule-Foot breeders do claim that their hogs will not take the cholera from being confined with cholera infected hogs, and I believe that their animals have made good on that claim." In 1910 J. H. Dunlap published this statement:4
I have a list of two hundred and forty-five Mule-Foot breeders in twenty-five states, furnished me by C. E. Quinn of the United States Department of Agriculture, and have written to a great many of them regarding the immunity of the Mule-Foot hog. They have all replied that they have never known a full-blood Mule-Foot to die with cholera. Mr. Quinn also wrote me that he was unable to learn of Mule-Foot hogs dying with cholera in the thirteen states in which he investigated the claim of immunity.
These statements, however, are not supported by veterinarians, and the author is informed by an official of the Ohio State Veterinarians' office that in 1914 hog cholera was brought to the Ohio State Fair by a herd of Mule-Foot hogs exhibited the previous week at the Forest City Fair at North Randall. It is not regarded as impossible for herds of these hogs, under certain conditions, to contract cholera.
The distribution of Mule-Foot swine is quite widespread at the present time. There are many breeders in the corn belt, especially in Ohio and Indiana. Messrs. J. H. Dunlap of Pickaway County, Ohio, and C. G. Kreglow of Hardin County have long been prominent improvers and active exhibitors and promoters of the breed and have interested many persons in establishing herds.
The promotion of Mule-Foot swine has been taken up by two registry associations — the National Mule-Foot Association, organized in 1908 at Indianapolis, and the American Mule-Foot Record Association, with headquarters at Columbus, Ohio.
1 C. G. Kreglow, The Mule-Foot hog. A pamphlet.
2 American Agriculturist, March 10, 1910.
3 Ohio Farmer, July 8, 1911.
4 National Stockman and Farmer, March 3, 1910.