The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-12-26
and Fattening Hogs


The Indications are that the farm
ers are giving more attention to the
production Of pork than for some
years past.
One Of these indications is the num-
Der Of inquiries received for RENE
dies against disease n abnormal
conditions OF pigs that farmers have
to contend against These inquiries
show hat farmers have not yet
learned the importance OF feeding ac-
cording to the OF the animals.
and with regard to the immediate
purpose Of the feeding. Some farm
ers make no difference whatever in
the character of the feed for young
pigs and shOats and the feeding for
fattening PURPOSES. My attention has
been called at this time to the matter
OF feeding by a most excellent edi-
torial by Dr.. TAFT Butler in the Pro-
greSSive Farmer of December 9, the
same being No. AZ of a series Of ar
ticles on live stock (By the way.
l think Dr.. Butler would render an
important service to the farmers Of
the South by reproducing this series
in pamphlet form for distribution at
rs cents per copy
In the article now before me he
writes:
"a hog eweighing 100 pounds the
1st OF August or the 1st Of Septem-
Der may be easily made to weigh $50
pounds by December / or January I
Ia feeding period OF 100 days., if
handle as we have suggested in this
series Of articles.
"A pig narrowed March ! Is five
month old August /, or one far
roWec April ! is five months old Sep
tember 1. and should weigh 100
pounds This suggests a weight Of
ESQ pounds at nine months old and is
about what should be expected from
well-bred pigs, well cared for on a
~Well-managed FARM
l think the above statements are
very moderate. Higher results might
easily be attained by extra attention.
With a good breed iRed Jersey I
have had a bunch Of 11-months-old
pigs to net $50 pounds Of pork, and
| have known Berkshires to kick the
beam at 100 pounds more at IL
months Of age. But these weights
are by no means desirable. Two hun
dred to $50 pounds weight of net
pork is heavy enough and will be
found much more profitable. To come
within this limit the pigs must be
SO managed as to be ready for
slaughter at 9 months old, and to
attain this the pigs should be far
roWed in March, SC as to be at the
right age and Of the desired weight
OAoAe Ill L is lHSI
manifest that the farmer should CON
troll the narrowing date within mar
row limits, and there is no difficulty
in doing this. While q SOW NAV be
managed SO as to bring three filters OF
pig in q year (by early weaning), ]
have Ions believed and advised that
h should be limited to two filters.
early in Septenber-six months
apart. NV idea iS that tho NJ rob
Dig should be pushed from the start
SO as to net 200 to $50 pounds OF
pork in December. and this gener-
alton should be sufficient in number
to yield a full years supply of pork
and bacon for the farmers family
and, at least, his wage hands. The
problem then is what should be done.
with the second. or September. litter
Of pigs? The answer is-push them
also from the start and sell the
dressed c~aTcasses Off fresh eating
along in November and December
The butchers are always glad to get
dressed carcasses for fresh eating
pounds, for retailing to their daily
customers. and I neyer had any
trouble in ~disposing Of all that I could
supply.
This practice. as advised and oil
lowed by me. is based on the rule that
[ got from some old pork raiser
many years ago., VIZ: Never let a
pork hog see a Christmas" This
means that the farmer should not. as
a rule, carry through the winter, say
November, December, January and
February. n but the breeding hogs
[ still believe it to be a rood general!
rule. 1t saves a good deal Of care
and q good deal Of feedstuffs to have
only a few well-grown. mature breed-
ers to feed and look after during the
four months named when a much
larger proportion of the feed con-
surned would be simply to maintain
the animal heat and functions, and a
nuc smaller proportion will find its
way to the pork barrel-nore than a
in the future.
The burden Of the article by d.. =.
is the Importance of feeding the pigs