The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-04-30

to meet the urgent requirements of
the packers.
Let us now consider the approximate
cost of raising hogs in California in
order to determine what profit there
lis in the business taking for granted
that the party engaged in it has the
necessary acreage to produce sufficient
alfalfa. grain or roots to provide the
most economical food for growing and
fattening his hogs.
We will say that he commences OPP
erations with 20 brood sows and one
boar, purchased at a probable cost of
$3.50. At the end of four months these
20 sows will have produced a litter of
s pigs each, or total of 40 pigs.
We will assume that 10 of them die,
leaving 10 hogs that grow to matur-
ity. Our hog raiser at this stage of
his experience joins us in our specula-
ton as to the probable result in dol
lars and cents of his new enterprise,
as from time to time he contentedly
observes their rapidly increasing size
and views with satisfaction the high
price hogs are bringing in his home
markets. But eager as he is to get as
many hogs as possible ready for the
market and take advantage of the
high prices, with commendable fore
sight he decides to market only 90 head
out of ITO, withholding 20 young sows
for breeding purposes, to be added to
his original purchase of 20, leaving
him with stock of 40 brood sows and
80 hogs to be prepared for the market.
Seven or eight months after these 80
hogs are born they will be ready for
their journey to San Francisco or Los
Angeles and will probably weigh from
200 to $50 pounds each, or an average
of 225 pounds each.
THE COST OF PRODUCTION
In sections of California where al
falfa is grown and forms the greater
part of the food upon which hogs are
raised, little wheat, barley or roots
being added to put them in good shape,
1t is claimed that the cost of produc-
tion is from " to 4 n cents per pound.
or an average of cents per pound
Ninety hogs weighing 225 pounds
each can be loaded in a So foot stock
car, and the average rate of freight
on such car from point of shipment to
whichever of the markets, San Fran
cisco or Los Angeles, lies nearest is $40.
Hogs shipped from California points
to San Francisco or Los Angeles
shrink in weight from to IL pounds
each while in transit, or an average of
10 pounds per head. making a hog that
weighs 225 pounds on the farm weigh
only 215 pounds at destination.
From the foregoing figures we make
the following deductions:
On market day the go hogs averag-
ing 225 pounds each on the farm show
a total weight Of 2o,250 pounds. which
which we add the cost of shipment,
$40, making a total cost of production
and shipment of $3.50.
These 80 hogs weigh at destination
215 pounds each, representing a total
weight Of 1880 pounds, for which the
raiser would receive IL cents per
pound, on basis of market price March
%, 1910, making the amount realized
from sale of 90 hogs $2,12S.5O.
Now. If we deduct the cost of pro-
juction and shipment from the amount
realized from sale, 1t would show that
the fortunate individual who marketed
these 80 porkers. as recompense for his
time and labor, made n profit of
S1,27S.5O, while he still is possessor of
his original stock of 20 brood sows
and also the 20 sows held out for
breeding purposes. In other words,
after pocketing his profit of $1,27S50
on the 90 hogs sold, he has working
capital of 40 sows and 1 boar, valued
at $3.50, a capital, too, that is not idle,
but works fast, for his original 20
sows five months after producing the
first litter of pigs will have produced
a second litter of 100 pigs, while the
20 sows held out for breeding purposes
from the first litter would also pro-
duce a litter each in about eight
months after their birth. At this rate
of increase the hog raiser could prob
ably market from two to three car
loads of hogs the second year, with a
corresponding increase in profit.
MARKET is STABLE
1t is true. of course, that the hog
market on March % was abnormally
high, but even with 10, 9 or cent
market the margin of profit would still