Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-09-22
From the Western Rural.
EatteMfng Hogs for Market.


BY examining any Of our market
reports, it will be seen that the value
Of hogs differ from 10 to % per cent,
when they get to market owing en-
tirely to the various conditions in
which hogs are put upon the market
by feeders, or to whether they have
been properly fatted or not. 1t, then,
would seem this to be matter of vi
tai importance to farmers, that they
see that none but well fatted hogs
go to market, as it is ruinous prac-
tice, and one that no farmer can af-
ford, to ship his produce to market
in such a condition that it will not
find buyers except at such discounts
from the market price. Such pro-
ducc is never raised and marketed
but at a loss to the producer.
The first point to be considered in
producing good hogs for market is
to have animals that can be fatted.
As well might q manufacturer try to
make fine cloth out of goats hair as
for a farmer to attempt to make first
class pork out of land-pike, hazel
splitter, or prairie-rootcr breed Of
hogs. And the sooner he disposes
of all such stock the less money he
will loose by feeding them, rs they
are never fed except at loss.
The fattening of hogs, though not
requiring as much care or the exer-
else Of as much skill and judgment
as some other points in their man
agement, is yet one that will pay and
amply pay for good attention.
When hog is to be fattened for mar
ket, it should be done in the shortest
possible time, as in all cases where
life exists, certain amount of nutri-
tive matter is necessary for its sup
port This is always derived from
the food either directly or indirectly.
And to fatten . hog in the shortest
possible time, It 10 evident that his
wants should be carefully attended
to in every respect. He should be
made perfectly contented and com
Portable, and fed just what he will
eat up clean, at least three times pc,
day; the times Of feeding should be
as regular Is possible, and his bill o.
fare as varied - circumstances will
admit of, in order that the appetite
be kept as good as possible. HI
should also have an abundant supply
Of good clean water to drink, and il
warm weather to battle in, and sup
ply of salt and stove coal Tor tn
form of concentrated carbon always
at hand.
The best pen ! have ever found t.
fatten hogs IN, in moderate or warn
weather, is good clover or blue grass
pasture Of about 20 acres for 10'
hogs.
To fatten lot Of good hogs tina
weigh from 100 to 80 pounds, tina
have been summered mainly o.
grass, usually requires abont thrc
months, and about Is bushels Of corr
each, on which they will usual,
make growth of about 200 pound
each, if fed in good weather on dr.
corn.
Hogs that are to be fattened on
Of doors, should always be markets.
before bad weather sets in. Blu
where it is thought expedient to fee
through the Winter months, goo
houses, both to sleep in and to fee
in, are indispensable. But the hog
should not be confined to them, Blu
should be. allowed to 60 in and GU
at their pleasure, and should be vel
supplied with clean warm bedding
As to cooking food for hogs, m.
experience is not very extensive
though Ihave made numerous expez
iments with cooked food on . smal
scale though usually more to deter
mine the effect ON the hogs rathe
than to directly test its economy, m,
experiments having mostly beef