The silver messenger., 1912-03-05
Pork Production in the
lntermountain Country


Many farmers believe that 1t il In
possible to raise hogs, and produc
pork In this intermountain country 8
a profit Some, and perhaps the m,
tority Of them, believe that hogs ca
not be grown and fattened q
profit in any country wher
corn cannot be abundantly an
cheapy grown; In fact, they ar
not backward in expressing their cor
viction that hogs cannot be grown an
fattened without corn. After som
years experience in hog growing an.
fattening in this western country, W
are convinced that these men ar
greatly mistaken, and we believe tina
this section offers many advantages
for pork production that are not to b,
found In any other section OF th'
United States.
1t may be said that there are nv
prime factors that have to do witt
profitable pork production in any coun
try; these are, first, the ability, ex
perience and taste Of the farmer; sec
ond, the nature of the climate; third
the character of the soil, and It's ca
pacity to produce an abundance Of
suitable feed products cheaply; fourth
tho prevalence OF disease, and fifth and
most important, the demand for porl
products or the availability of a good
market. Let US consider briefly these
flve factors, and apply them to oul
conditions, and see how nearly we flll
the bill In this section. In the first In
stance, we have as progressive lot OF
farmers as may be found in any sec
tion of the country. 1t Is true that
many, In fact, most of them have not
that knowledge and skill in the bust
ness of rearing and feeding swine that
insures success, but this skill and
knowledge can be secured in a very
short time with a little practical ex-
perience and careful study. 1t can,
therefore, be said that in SO far as the
hrst factor Is concerned that our con-
ditlOns are favorable.
As regards the climate, this section
cannot be excelled in any other part
OF this continent for hog raising. This
is a broad statement, but l believe the
facts substantiate it. The weather Is
uniformly dry, the seasons are moder-
ate, the air pure and invigorating and
the sunshine abundant and strong
There Is only one serious objection to
our climate from the hogs standpoint
and that Is our extreme variation OF
in each twenty-four hours;
and this objection, while very serious
one, If not guarded against, is very
readily overcome. The hog is by ma
ture semi-tropical animal, he has
light coat of very coarse hair at best,
and is consequently very susceptible
to cold or chills. Again, the hog has
no perspiration or sweat glands in his
skin, and though he be a semi-tropical
animal naturally, is very easily over
come with heat. Most other animals,
including man, are providentially
equipped with means of cooling the
surface OF their bodies through the
evaporation OF the perspiration which
sxudes from the open pores OF their
'kin whenever the temperature of the
body rises abnormally. This mer-
siful provision of nature has
been denied the hog, consequent
y, when he is exposed to the
burning hot sun during the middle of
he day, and his body becomes over
heated, he should be provided with
'ome kind of shelter or shade: and
With some means of supplying mois-
ure for evaporation from the surface
u his body. On the other hand, when
he sun goes down, and the chill air
rom the mountains descends into
ne valleys In the evening, or during
he night, the hog having no ade-
luate covering Of hair is very readily
hilled. The result OF which is very
lpt to be q serious loss from pneu-
non1a and other pulmonary troubles.
in the case OF young pips
nd very fat animals. In summer. It
9 important. therefore. that hogs
mould be furnished with some shell
er IN the fields We provide small
A-shaped, eight-foot square hog
louses. These are cheap, easily
moved from place to place and an
wer every purpose, both for shelter
rom the sun and from the cool night
IT. providing, they are well venti-
ated. In addition to adequate shell
or all pasture lots for hogs in sum-
aer should be provided with bath"
which the animals can go at will
ot so much to clean their bodies as
cool themselves. Hogs should not
. forced to make a wallow in some
1rty. filthy, stagnant pool of water
order to cool themselves. Provide
ach pasture lot with a small tank
light by eight feet square and ten
1cnes deep, made Of plank <r con.
rete, set into the ground, and have
nfs supplied with fresh, clean water
nee or twice week, which will not
old to exceed two or three barrels.
nd to this bath, each week Won
hould add about two quarts Of some
ood coal tar disinfectant It will be (,
'und an excellent precaution against
lsease, and. particularly. those Of a
arasitical nature, and Is the most ef.
'ctive method that know Of for ,
eeping the animals free from lice i
nd vermin. With these minor pro
'ctions against sudden extremes In I
this climate Is certainly ,
leal ror hogs Of all ages.
concerning the soil, little need be :
ald Tor 1t is such in almost every ,
sction that 1t will produce a maxi !
lum yield of all kinds of cerea,
rains, as well as peas. beans and :