St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-07-14
FARMER AND PLANTER.
FEEDING AND REARING HOGS.



A Few ssgsessiess In Rslatioa - tAs
Meat Supply.
The present price Of hogs is great
encouragement to farmers to improve
the method Of feeding and rearing
these animals The increase OF con-
sumption is due to the improvement IN
the character of the meat by reason OF
the vast use of canned provisions This
has taken the place to an enormous ex-
tent of the fat pork formerly used on
ships, in mines. lumber camps and
even in private families The neces-
sity for some provision Of meat that
might be kept ready for use every day
in the year therefore no longer exists,
and the former clear mess pork is not
wanted, but in place of it the less fat
bacon and hams that have become
popular, as well as the light fresh
pork that may be had every day in the
year.
This has totally changed the demand
for pork meats. and small, leaner pigs
that weigh no more than 100 to $50
pounds are now wanted And class of
pigs is really more profitable to the
feeders than the larger animals that
must be fed over one winter or two be-
fore they are ready for market The
method of feeding these small pigs Is
quite different from that needed for the
larger ones. which were fed mostly on
corn. The modern model pig is not
more than nine or zen months old when
slaughtered. and is reared ON clover
pasture, and only finished on corn by
moderate feeding for . month or SO.
Indeed. the pigs are always ready for
market, and may be taken direct from
the pasture il little corn or meal il
given to them while running in the
field. Or being fed on the SKINNED milk
in dair:es- The dairy-fed pigs are the
best of their kind, and fill the needs OF
the butchers to perfection. All this il
to be considered. as well as the fact
that the number Of pigs coming to the
market is not now q guide as to the
quantity of meat, as it was formerly,
when the average weight was twice
that Of the present time. Doubtless
the mistake of not estimating this fact
has led feeders to reduce their stocks
so largely as to cause . deficient sup
ply, with the result Of the present
higher prices
Clover, corn and pigs are the rule
now. And in this new system the
farmer has, rs he never has had befores5
method of improving his land by the
growth Of clover for pasture only.
Clover is an excellent substitute for
milk. It affords the nitrogen for tho
tender. quicl<ly-grown flesh, and . lit-
tie corn given makes the fat, laid on
between the lean meat. thus making
the typical meat or bacon. And in ad-
dition to this good result it adds to the
soil large supply Of the most costly
element Of fertility in the nitrogen de-
rived cheaply from the atmosphere by
this invaluable crop. The increased
fertility Of the land pays all the cost
Of the clover several times over and
leaves the pigs IN almost clear gain. :,
The old system Of estimating til
cost Of pork by so many pounds Of corn
to the pound of meat will now be
changed to the new one Of so many
pounds Of meat to an acre of clover.
and the corn will become . mere incl
dent Of the cost of feeding. This il the
way Of all improvements Cost of prod
uct is lessened, and the profit is made
by those farmers who study how to inn
prove their methods and keep abreast
of the rapidly-changing course Of
events One who does not read or
study fails to meet the new demands
upon him. and is in his ignorance look
ing about in = bewildered condition,
asking himself how it is that he is
standing all alone, left behind by the
advancing crowd, who have gone ont
Of sight And his mournfnl complaint
is that farming does not pay."-West-
ern Swiueherd.