The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1906-06-09

"Of the entire family of domestic ami
mails, the hog brings to the farmer the
greatest return, one year after another
for the time and money expended upon
it. Time was when little attention was
paid by the average farmer to the hog
crop. A few head of swine were con-
sidered a necessity in order to furnish
a supply of ham, bacon and lard for
home use. Comparatively few farmers
looked upon their pigstys as a source of
ready money. The swine were kept in
filthy pens and fed on refuse, and little
attention was paid to the improvement
of their quality. The name was the
synonym of sloth and filthiness, and the
idea that they would appreciate sanitary
surroundings and wholesome food was
never for a moment entertained. =
1t is remarked that hogs are the
easiest money that the farmer makes.
This Is doubtless true where a reason
able amount of intelligent care is given
to swine, to their breeding, housing,
feeding and protection from disease. Of
the first Importance is the selection of
breeding stock, in which too much care
cannot be exercised. 1t has been said
that the male is half the herd but this
does not mean that as much care should
mot be used in the selection of brood
sOws as in the choice of the male. The
characteristics of both parents are like
Iy to be reproduced in their offspring
and where both are good individuals
then, and then only, can a litter of pigs
of good quality be reasonably expected.
Not all animals, however, transmit their
best qualities to their offspring, and the
process of selection should be kept up
constantly, those animals lacking in pre-
potency being culled out of the breeding
herd, regardless of their individual good
points. There are a number of breeds
of swine which possess the requisites
for profitable market animals, and the
selection of a breed is largely a matter
of individual taste. The most popular
hog is the one that can be made to
weigh $50 to 800 pounds at one year old,
and for this reason the large breeds pre-
in this country. The tendency
IN recent years has been to market hogs
mt an earlier age, at the sacrifice of
weight, but in greater economy in the
cost of production. The bulk of hogs
marketed now range from 200 to $50
pounds in weight, and the average
weight by years is only a little over
pounds.
{ I'm the care of hogs, sanitation and
feeding play a conspicuous part. The
greatest drawback to the swine indus
try is the disease commonly known as
Cholera In the absence of a depend
able remedy for this disease, the swine
grower must largely rely on prevention.
1t has been demonstrated that a herd of
swine can be kept immune from disease
by proper application of sanitary meas
ures. The quarters occupied by hogs
should be clean, dry, well ventilated and
treated with some reliable
disinfectant. The value of occasional
iy dipping hogs in some solution whose
efficiency has been proven has been
fully demonstrated. The dipping frees
them from bacteria and vermin and
keeps them in a healthy condition, which
enables them TO resist disease.
"The care of brood sow at farrow-
ing time is a matter of more import
ance than is given it by many farmers.
The absence of comfortable narrowing
houses frequently results in the loss of
valuable ~litters. These houses are not
large, 6xS feet being sufficient. Each
house should be surrounded by a small
yard to allow of exercise. They may be
mounted on runners and moved from
place to place. Experiments have
shown that such houses soon pay for
themselves in the increased size of the
litters saved
Care should be exercised not to over
feed the brood sow before narrowing
time. Concentrated foods should be fed
sparingly. Too much corn is harmful.
Chopped clover or alfalfa hay, bran,
oats, peas, barley and roots are desir-
able. Brood sows, as narrowing time
approaches, should be well nourished,
and if properly fed flesh is an advan-
tage rather hal a detriment. 1t is es-
however, that they should have
sufficient exercise to keep them in good
condition.
"The feeding of pigs intended for
should begin when they are
weaned. The milk fat of the sucking
pig should not be allowed to disappear,
but should be added to daily as the ami
NAL increases in age. Corn should be
used in a limited quantity on the grow
ing pig, and should be supplemented by
ground foods, dairy b~i-products, alfalfa
or clover pasture, and such other feeds
as are at hand. AS the animal increases
i'm age the proportion of corn or other
fat-producing food should be increased.
EXPERIMENTS have proven that
it does not pay to feed a hog beyond
$50 or 300 pounds. At this weight they
ill the requirement of the average mar
ket. Further weight is secured at a
considerably increased cost per pound,
and the point is eventually reached
where it requires practically all of the
feed consumed to maintain the weight
secured"
While the gentleman who wrote this
may nave little conception of a Missis-
hog pen and know practically moth
ing about conditions as they prevail
here, he evidently advances some good
ideas with regard to the care of hogs.
is desirable in everything,
md as much so in hog raising as other
ines of industry. Who is it that does
not believe that meat fattened in a well
Trained and cleanly pen should not be
more wholesome than that in the old
style pen so common in use years ago,
ind still in vogue at places? While our
State does not raise any considerable
,uantity of meat for export, a great |
ieal is made for home consumption and
he advice given above might be used
-J-o~&oca bu tho SMALL faxpoor GA