Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-01-12
FINISHING HOGS Foa MARKET.

FINISHING HOGS FOR MARKET.
Complaint Is heard on almost every
hand that the margin between the cost
of production and the selling price Il too
narrow, aud the farmer is dissatisfied
concerning the low price Of hogs. Still |
don't know Of anything produced on the
farm that is bringing in more clear
money than the pig, when Ii Is properly
msnaged-thst Is, where IL Is started
right, mstured properly and sold at the
right time. Pigs that have trough 10
themselves and are carefully started and
kept in good growing condition until
weaned, can easily be kept in good con-
ditiou until they are ready for market,
and those who successfully manage their
sows and pigs have about STAINED all
the necessary points in the matter OF
preparing hogs for the market.
The average farmer does not realize
the demand OF the market In the matter
of hogs. A great many are still finish
ing up the $50 or 400 pound hog, in
many instances doing Il at an actual
loss. IL they would only listen to the
packer they could soon learn what sort
of meat the consumer wants and buys,
and could govern themselves according
ly.
The packers have been telling Us for
sore time that II is lean and not fat,
small and not large, hogs that are want
ed. There has been great change OF
conditions In the country the past few
years. People do not work outdoors
and expose themselves, as they once
did, and consequently do not need fat To
keep up the heat, but the lean 10 snp-
port the muscles. And in cooking the
oils of seeds are very generally used in-
stead OF lard, because they are cheaper,
better aud more healthful. Consumers
do not buy anything in large quantities
and Law il away for future use, as they
used to do, but let each day provide for
itself in a measure. This is true OF meal
buying, as Il is with everything else.
What we need 10 do Is TO meet conditions
and not try TO change them. We all
ought 10 know by this time that early
maturity makes desirable hams and
sayory bacon. Besides, quickly devel-
oped pig makes good weight for less
money than does the old way of feed
ing. People have learned the difference
between a tender, juicy piece OF young
pork, and the tough, dry meat We get
from the more mature hog, or old sow.
Produce Us pig that will weigh loo
or 100 pounds at six or seven months
old. By thus rushing the animal we
lessen the risk of loss from accident and
disease, In proportion as the time OF
keeping the herd Is reduced. And the
man who pushes his pigs gives them
close attention and the best Of food, and
thus managed they are much less likely
to contract disease than are those which
are unthrifty through neglect or insuf-
ficient food.
Experiments At the Wisconsin station
show that, up to $50 pounds, less than
five and one-half pounds Of food made a
pound of pork on an average, while on
800 pound hogs II took eight pounds 10
make the same gain and az the same time,
the meat Of the younger pig was very
much more valuable and had much less
fat. An experiment in Massachusetts,
showed that up 10 so pounds the pigs
made pork at less than three cents, but
that at from l75 TO 200 pounds the cost
was nearly six cents.
All kili- ktt(ut> u Sii2N tht WoN "
make the most profit out OF our pigs Is
TO crowd them along from birth till sold,
giving them all the food they can digest
and assimilate, then as soon as they are
out OF the way, 60 TO work on the little
nigs again. Unless the farmer il provid-
ed with snug, warm winter quarters Tor
his pigs, II Is best 10 have only one litter
Of pigs each year. and have them come
in April.
In finishing the hog for the market.
feed for health as well as increase OF
weight. Unless we have pure food and
water, and clean platform 10 feed on,
We need not expect the most satisfactory
results. Ii Is great wonder that hogs
thrive as well as they do in many in-
stances, when they have TO fish their
corn out Of the mud, and have 70 drink
from their wallows. A platform 10 feed
on Is one Of the things that every good
hog raiser has on the farm. Ii Is one OF
the best investments YOU can make and
costs but little. Those who have fed
hogs know that il is cheaper TO put on
fat than il l. lean meat. Aud II Is still
the practice among large class OF farm
ers 10 put these hogs on an exclusive
corn diet. This should never be done.
Something 20 make muscle should al
ways go along with the corn. In the
corn We have an excess OF heat and lat
making material, and great deficiency
OF flesh formers. The Canadian farmer
balances his corn ration with peas and
beans. He could grow the southern
corn pea for this purpose, but bran,
shorts, barley or milk is more convenient
for Us. There is nothing that will make
pigs grow faster than corn and skim
milk. but the pork IL too soft. Barley
and milk is much better combination
for finishing up the porker. Milk should
never be fed BY itself as drink, as II
will not all be digested when thus taken.
Stir into il some sort Of ground grain.
In feelings mssh OF any kind always
have IL sweet. IL corn is 10 be part OF
your ration, always grind IL, and put
some wheat or oats, or some OF ootn,
with il. There is something about oats
peculiarly adapted 10 the hog, and II he
does not have access 10 clover, always
try 10 give him some oats. i never could
think that it was the proper thing 10 do
70 let hogs run after cattle. Ii may be
economy. IL you are too lazy 10 grind
YOUR feed for your cattle, but IL isn't
nice. The present kind of pig feeding IL
most profitable, is different from what IT
used 10 be, and all concerned should
know about all il, so that they may take
advantage of better methods OF feeding
and produce just the kinds OF meat that
are called for.-New England Home