The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1895-10-03
HOG RAISING.
a Few Practical Hints by n Prac
teal and Progressive
~ Farmer.

Westport. Mimi, Sept. Is, '95.
EDITOR . HxRALD-Harvest for small
grains passed into history some time
since, leaving with most of us good,
and in many cases very heavy yield,
which with the other products of the
farm would at moderate prices put our
farmers in good condition. But in this
they are evidently doomed to disap-
ointment-extremely low prices being
the rule. Pork, while low, still stands
at a living hgure. and here let me again
remark that 1.-THE hog is the diversified
farmers best FRIEND" All of rhe coarse
and refuse portions of nearly all crops
raised can be utilized by the hog-made
into pork and thus brings as good or
better price than the best grades. 1t
only takes eight or nine months to raise
a hog to good marketable proportions,
while with the steer it takes two to four
years. 1t is therefore muck easier for
the farmer of small means to raise hogs
than cattle or horses; but in commenc-
ing you should be sure to begin right.
Never get scrub or common hog either
to breed from or to fatten, if you do you
will surely not remain in the business
have in my own herd few scrubs that
l bought. I fed them very much more
than do my high grades or tull- blooded
Poland Chinas and still do not get as
good results by a heavy percentage. l
have few low grade small pigs. They
are not as heavy by one third as some
very high grades nd tull bloods of same
age, l am incliued TO think, however,
that trifle OF some other blood, mixed
with the Poland China gives us more
robust animal than the pure blood, and
while l have full blood l shall use a
very high grade male to some extent in
my herd. have very few high grade
males that I would sell at reasonable
rates. very fine animals, about six
months old. 1t has been claimed with
some show OF authority that to raise
hogs in this climate successfully we must
raise but one litter of pigs a year from
each sou to be farrowed in the early
spring, fattened in the fall and slaught-
cred at about eight months old. l cam
not fully agree with this rule. 1t can
only be urged, on the ground that it
does not pay to carry hugs through our
long winters, and, to that exteutI agree
l would not winter the hog, but the pig
from one to two months old on Decem.
ber' LIST, and by having comfortable
place for them they can be carried
through. You then start out in the
spring with good sound shoats that
will grow to heavy weight hogs by fall
They ought to be so situated that they
can get daily exercise. which is a very
important matter to the growing pig.
An excellent arrangement for shelter
is to build a low pole shed, say two or
three feet high, nearly the size OF your
straw stack, then when you thresh run
the straw from the machine upon this
low shed making very comfortable
pace for the little fellows, where they
cannot be interfered with by other ami
mails. feed them on light feed; vegetables
or roots should be given them, cooked if
possible. as it goes much further. Grain
should be ground and then soaked fully
tNenty-four hours before feeding. 1t is
claimed by parties who have made tests
that it does not improve ground feed to
cook it for hogs, but the difference be-
tween ground and whole grain in favor
of that which has been ground is very
marked. Keep the hogs growing. 1t is
only by continuous growth that any
profit is made. Feed given the hog while
he is at a standstil is a total loss. Keep
your pigs while growing we'll sorted so
as to let the smaller and weaker ones
have an equal show at the feeding
troughs. Watch your hogs closely,
learn to know their needs and see THAT
they are supplied and you can make
something on hogs.
Very Truly,
GEO NJ PryyT-T