Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1908-07-17
GROWING HOGS IN IDAHO.
Industry Is Receixing Greater Atten'
ton Than Ever Before.

Industry Is Receixing Greater Atten-
ton Than Ever Before.
Prof. H. T. French. Director Idaho Experiment
Station.
| The hog industry in Idaho is re-
ceivlng more attention now than ever
before IN the history of the state.
The tendency to diversity farm op-
erations is stronger now than in the
past. All alfalfa, or all sheep or all
OF any other one thing, unless it
should be fruit. is out of date for the
majority of farmers of Idaho, both in
the northern part of the state, where
irrigation is not practiced, and in the
irrigated sections of southern Idaho.
The most successful farmer, here as
elsewhere, is the one who is making
livestock on the farm one of the i'm
portant factors. As the dairy indus
try increases in interest the raising
of hogs will receive more attention.
A farmer who is not adverse to milk
ing cows will, as a rule, be success
in handling pigs, because no one can
succeed in either line, to the fullest
extent, unless he looks carefully after
details.
In Idaho the dairy industry is grow
ing, therefore | expect more rapid
development of the hog industry. In
fact, there is strong indication that
this is the case just now in severa!
sections of the state. In holding far
mers' institutes in southern Idaho
much interest was noticed in the sub
ject of feeding and breeding hogs.
Several shipments of pure bred stock
have recently been made into south
ern Idaho. Pure bred Poland China,
Duroc Jersey, Chester White and
Berkshire pigs are found in increas-
ing numbers in every farming section
of the state. Poland Chinas predomi-
nate, no doubt; but the Duroc is be-
coming close competitor in many
sections.
Alfalfa pasture, with small ration
of shorts, ground wheat or finely
ground barley, will grow pigs very
rapidly This, supplemented with sep
orator milk, will produce a growth
equal to that secured in the corn belt
and in quality we fatter ourselves
that it is superior.
In growth, our pigs can be made to
compare quite favorably with those
fed on corn. Numerous reports were
made last winter at farmers meetings
that it was not difficult to produce a
pig that would weigh two hundred
pounds at eight months old.
Some sugar beets and other roots
can be fed, and are being used in
feeding hogs in Idaho. Potatoes boiled
and mixed with one and half to two
pounds of grain per hundredweight OF
pig, will produce good gains in live
weight. Alfalfa, cut up with feed cut
ter, and softened by steaming or even
sprinkling of cold water, with a lit
tie grain, makes a good ration for
brood sows during winter. A great
many hogs are wintered largely on
dry alfalfa hay, and they do very
we'll.
In state where so much cheap for
age can be grown for hogs, there is
great encouragement for the industry
Large yields of wheat and barley can
be secured on irrigated lands, and
often the wheat is of low milling
quality, making it much more profit
able to feed it than to sell it in the
| SdSk. n DuSllCl Vi WHCdl Will lid NC
from 12 to Is pounds of gain in live
weight when fed to thrifty young
hogs weighing from rs to 175 pounds
In young pigs even greater gains car
be secured.
Field peas are grown in some sec
tions for hog pasture, and serve ar
important purpose in providing good
pasturage during the summer before
the stubble fields are ready to CLEAN
There is a period in summer wher
there is lack Of good pasture in the
grain-growing sections of the state
Little alfalfa or clover is grown or
many of the farms, and often pig:
make very small gains during thi:
period Some farmers sow grain
such as wheat or barley, for hog pas
ture, but even this does not produce
as good results as would a pasture O
alfalfa, peas or clover
Bluegrass and white clover will
make a good pasture in some local.
ties where there is plenty of moist
ure and good soil. This does not. il
our opinion, give as good results
however. as the crops mentioned
above. Idaho farmers are much en-
) couraged in raising hogs from tn,
fact that large packing plants are be
ing established on the coast, thus in
suring a steady demand for live hogs
and while the price may not be an.
more satisfactory than in the past
with limited supply. there will be ;
permanency to the demand ever
, though the number of hogs produced
| increases several times.