Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-01-24
FRIDAYS PROCEEDINGS.

prayer ny rev. u. NJ. AmSQen W0lcn
was followed by discussion on the
subject care Sheep More Profitable for
the Farm Than Dairying?' Jasper
King and VIM. Cook contributed short
talks on the subject and agreed that the
raising of sheep brought larger profits
when the expense of keeping them was
considered and compared with that of
cattle.
The topic "What Age Can Pork be
Produced at the Best Profit" was treat
ed as follows in paper by L. $. Fisher,
of Edgewood.
L. 8. Fishers paper.
had thought before received the program of
your Farmers Institute to DO held here at Man
chester, that probably you had become tired Of
hearing me talk about hogs. But after consider
ing the fact that your president here sometimes
visits at my place. suspcioned he thought, II
said anything, It would be about swine.
am aware that peoples tastes differ in many
things, and In music Is no exception. And will
here admit that the squeal of the thrifty, hungry
pig has certain charms to NO.
The hog has Very important place on every
good corn producing farm In these western states,
and has probably paid more mortgages and
bought more comforts for the farmer and his fam.
iy than any other branch Of the live stock indus
try. Still we see frequently farmers that have
raised hogs for years only making partial saccess
of the business. Did you ever think how very
few really successful pork producers there were In
your own particular neighborhood. There Is
surely much yet for us to learn about raising
profitable hogs.
Tho age at which pork can be the most profit
ably produced depends on conditions and environ
ments also on the type Of hog one wishes to feed.
know we have been taught by . great many
writer's that we must crowd the pig from start to
dnish and sell for the greatest amount of profit at
about six months old and about two hundred
pounds weight. will concede that this age and
md weight are about right But must differ
with this teaching for the average farmer. 1 as
sumo that the cost is more and the risk very
much greater on hogs finished for market at SO
young an age.
Iprefer to have hogs from six to eight months
of age before starting on heavy finishing feed,
can grow hogs to this age much cheaper. by
giving them free access to pasture and by utiliz-
Ing other cheap and coarse feed grown on the
farm which the hog finished at an earlier age will
not eat.
The hog by nature, If all his wante are provided
for, becomes lazy and lazness is not conducive to
health. But the pig fed enough to keep growing
nicely and not fatten, is lively and healthy, ready
to take his daily trip around the pasture even
should 1t contain square forty acres, coming up
at feeding time hearty and with good appetite,
and You would never think he was OF the same
breed as his pampered, close confined, weak con-
stttutioned brother. By this method you have
grown your frame or crib for your corn compare
lively cheap and havea hog strong, healthy and
vigorous, ready to take the almost exclusive feed
Ing of corn and give the most profitable return
for care aud feed
There are other advantages might mention in
feeding older and more mature hogs. wehave all
noticed at certain tim 90 In year the receipt OF
hogs At our principal markets are very heavy,
having tendency to reduce prices, caused to .
csrtain extent by too many young light hogs b.
Ing marketed ont Of proper sesssn. also be-
neve tAat great many Of our swine diseases
had their origin in herds Of swine that have been
hesvily led at too young an ses. By this method
weakening ther vitality and their ability TO ward
Oh disease. lam aware that conditions vary, but
for the average farmer think the most profitable
age to produce pork 10 from eight to twelve
months old