Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1903-02-19
Duroc.JeTsey Swine.

I AeSNot ""o "h u'boibiJ iOOhlhe biOCu'
and not at all in favor, especially SC
as compared with the Poland China,
so well and favorably known for a
number Of years. Be this as it may,
the handsome, thrifty Jersey Reds OF
to-day are meeting with great favor,
and are in steady and growing de-
mand. The breed that is most pro-
life. and that grows quickest into
marketable shape, must be the breed
that will gain most universal favor in
the sight of the average farmer, for
the majority of our farmers are not
breeding swine for "fanCier'S prices, "
but to meet the more common de-
mand.
The Poland China, it is said has
been bred too fine in;mary instances.
They are grand breed in themselves
nevertheless, and crossed with Jersey
Reds, the returns in marketable stock
at early age, is surprising to one who
has never made the cross and watched
the thrifty growing progeny growing
intO dollars and cents. CrOSSbred
, specimens Of the two distinct breeds
are coming to be common among the
farmers Of certain western localities,
though they are also each bred In
their purity To a very great extent.
Large sales are yearly made by special
breeders, and farmers are awaiting
themselves Of the opportunities thus
offered to secure good pure bred stock
at reasonable prices, with which to
grade up the stuck already on the
farm. Farmers are Enthusiastically
finding the Jersey Reds, or some per
cent of Jersey Red blood in their
swine yards to be a paying. telling
feature of farm operations. There is
always money in swine" and the pigs
that reach the marketable age In the
shortest possible time are the pigs
that the farmer finds most profitable
20 raise. Pigs weighing from Is to
100 pounds IN six months time are not
an uncommon occurrence, wherever
this breed of Reds are kept. Cross
bred pigs are more common than are
thoroughbreds, and perhaps make a
lesser growth than do the pure bred
Jerseys, but they will many times
outweigh them, showing exceptional
thriftiness from the cross in their
blood,
The above article appeared in an
eastern farm journal. While reading
it could not help but feel amused at
the supposed wonderful growth of
this mans hogs.
We farmers and stock breeders of
western Kansas would consider a pig
pretty much Of a scrub that would
weigh no more than 10 TO 100 lbs, at
six months old, and it certainly would
be scrub. There surely must have
been something wrong either with the
mans hogs or the man IN attendance
Of them.
am breeding to the thoroughbred
o. |. G. and will give little Of my
own experience in this breed. | will
say, however, l have been in the bust
ness bnt about eighteen months but |
am certainly we'll pleased with the
satisfactory results have met
This may never reach our friend
writing the above article but 1t may
interest some Of our home stock men.
Last spring 1902 started in the hog
business with one o. l. G. SOW, one
Chester White SOW, and two Poland
China sows, four In all, and all were
thoroughbred stock, these were mat
ed with a thorough bred o. |. q. male
which | purchased from L. B Silner
Co., Cleveland, Ohio. During the
spring and fall each SOW farrOwed her
second litter, and In less than eight
months l had 81 live pigs farrowed
from the four sows. BY the time the
spring pigs were six to eight months
old they we're placed on the market,
with the exception Of seven Of the
best o. |. C's. which l kept for my
own use. The proceeds OF the pigs
sold were s274.4O. The thoroughbred s
retained were easily worth $4,000.
Total value s374OO making an average
Of $3.50 to the litter, aud l still
have the fall litter TO dispose Of yet.
II the proceeds Of these average with
those sold the profits will be enormous
on each SOW. One load Of the spring
quilts were sold to +, A. DiSson for
breeders and at six months old aver
aged l74i lbs.
This is not so bad for the hog bust.
ness in western Kansas,
do not wish to say anything that
1 9 Ls.asraau g.F