Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1912-01-06


pork in this Intermountain country
at a profit Some, and perhaps the
majority of htem, believe that hogs
cannot be grown and fattened at a
profit in any country WI ere corn Ian
not be abundantly and cheaply groWp;
in fact, they are not backward in ex-
pressing their conviction that hogs
cannot be grown and fattened with
out corn. After some years exper-
fence in hog growing and fatteLing
in this western country, we are con-
vinced that these men are greatly
mistaken and we believe that this
section offers many advantages for
pork production that are not to be
found in any other section OF the
United States.
1t may be said that there are five
prime factors that have to do with
profitable pork production in any
country; these are, first, the ability,
experience and taste of the farmer;
second the nature of the climate;
third, the character of the soil, and
its capacity to produce an aburdace
of suitable feed products cheaply;
fourth, the pre- 'alence of disease,
and fifth and most important, the
demand for pork products or the
availability of a good market. Let
us consider briefly these five factors,
and apply them to our conditions,
and see how nearly we fill tie bill
in this section. In the first instance,
we have as progressive lot of far
mers as may be found in any section
of the country. 1t is true that many,
in fact most of them have not that
knowledge and skill in the business
of rearing and feeding swine that in
sures success, but this skill and know
ledge can be secured in very short
time with little practical experience
and careful study. 1t can, therefore,
be said that in SO far as the first
factor Is concerned that our condi-
lions are favorable
AS regards the climate, this Sec
ton cannot be excelled in any other
part of this continent for hog raising.
This is a broad statement, but | be-
Iieve the facts substantiate it, The
weather is uniformly dry, the seasons
are moderate, the air pure and in
and the sunshine abund-
ant and strong. There il only one
serious objection to our climate
rom the hogs standpoint and that isl
our extreme variations of temperatureI
IN each twenty-four ours; and this
objection, while very serious one,
+ not guarded against, is very readily
overcome. The hog is by nature a
animal, he has light |
coat of very coarse hair at best, and
s consequently very susceptible to
,old or chills. Again the hog has
10 Precipitation or sweat glands in
lis skin, and though he be semi
ropical animal naturally, is very
,asily overcome with heat. Most
'ther animals, including man, are
equipped with means
# cooling the surface of their bodies
trough the evaporation of the per-
piration which exudes from the open
'ores of their skin whenever the
of the body rises alb
This merciful provision of
ature has been denied the hog. con-
when he is exposed to the
turning hot sun during the middle
4 the day, and his body becomes
verheated,he should be provided with
ONE kind of shelter or shade; and
nth some means of supplying moist
re for evaporation from the sur
ace OF his body. On the other hand
'hen the sun goes down, and the chill
ir from the mountains descends into
ne valleys in the evening, or during
ne night the hog having no adequate
overing of hair is very readily chilled.
he result of which is very apt to
e serious loss from pneumonia and
Their pulmonary troubles, particular ,
in the case of young pigs and |
cry fat animals. In summer 1t is i'm {
ortant, therefore, that hogs should
cry fatanimals. In summer, 1t is i'm
ortant, therefore, that hogs should |
furnished with some shelter in I
lie fields. We provide small al
laped, eight-foot square hog houses.
hese are cheap, easily moved from {
ace to place and answer every q
lrpose, both for shelter from the I
In and from the cool night air, q
Il