Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1902-02-01

Profit la Hogs
Mr.. S<hn Cowie of Des Molnez.
Iowa. in a paper read before the Kan
sas State Board of Agriculture, gave
the results OF forty years experiences
as a hog-raiser. 1t contained much
valuable instruction. from which We
CLEAN the following:
Il have been in the hog industry
for the average human life time.
went into the business to make money.
and have made it, and out of the
hog. have stayed in the hog busi-
ness because there was money in it
l started with a pair at $1.25 apiece.
l afterward sold hogs dressed at $1.75
per hundred pounds. But 1 got away
fl ON that style of hog.
Years after that first experience,
stood in the Chicago market and had
the proud satisfaction of selling four
carloads of hogs of my own raising,
every one of them, and received for
them $5.375. When that check was
cashed there was not a mortgage left
on the home, and there has not been
one on 1T since. You see / owe to the
hog the greater part of my worldly
possessions. For twenty years my an
nual sales averaged over $4,000. When
the children grew up and had to be
sent away to school. and when the
wheat crop failed. as 1t does sometimes
with us in Iowa. my main reliance to
foot the bills was the hog. and he
never yet failed me-
Il wish to speak to you plainly in
regard to breeding and feeding hogs
in the manner that has been most
profitable to me. What I say in re-
gard to this animal is not theory. but
is personal experience, at close range.
The first requirement N the hog in
dustry is good hog house There
is too much risk from loss unless you
sows and young hogs.
Another important thing is the pas
ture.
All the leading breeds are good
enough for me.
II never lose a SOW in farrowing-
not one
You are no hog man unless you are
on good terms with your sows.
1T requires brains to make good
hogs
Il have my pigs come along in May.
after we are sure of good weather.
Then l let them run in the pasture
the whole summer. and they grow to
ne long, lank, big-boned and big-mus-
cled fellows. No fat on them yet The
following September we commence.
fattening them. In February they
weigh 400 lbs.
There is nothing tina. will fattena
hogs better than ear corn and water.
With shoats it is entirely different
Oats and shorts makes an ideal feed
for young shoats.
The hog is the c1eanest domestic
animal we have. If properly cared for.
II never had hog cholera on my
farm, but they had it all around me
of late years.
After l have my hogs fattened, I
would not drive them to market, but
haul them. Then 1 would have my
cars well bedded; ride with them my
self; go with them to Chicago; stay
with them in the yards, water, feed
and stay by them until they cross the
scales. Stay right with them.
There is money in the hog business
If 1t is properly conducted. There IL
no money in 1t IL it is ot properly
conducted. There Is no reason why
science cannot be employed in feed
ing hogs any more than In the con-
struction of q railway bridge. You
have to think. You have to expert
ment. Every man is the architect of
his own fortune. Let him get up and
hustle, and do some thinking. get ae-
tion on himself, and lucs win follow
him.
II have made . success in swine
raising. True. too: ! have fed cat
tie all my life. and raised horses all
my life. We used to raise a great deal
OF wheat l lost money raising wheat.
but never lost money raising hogs
~ -. Ixo al
the one 1 could fall back on