Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1912-01-11
Pork Production in the
lntermOuntain Country
lOrsSon Sborf Line Denomination Train LecSarel

dDic ottliOlo tOIH CIOpo Call Dc Nciy |
successfully grown. In addition to
all this, we grow here the most valu-
able of all hog feeds in almost per-
feet form; namely, alfalfa. With al
falfa, dwarf Essex rape and English
kale for forage a minimum amount OF
concentrated high priced grain is re.
quired for best results. The trouble
has been, in many instances, to de
pend altogether too much upon a.
falfa. Because it is a good forage
people should not make the mistake
of depending upon it alone for a feed
to raise and fatten their hogs. The
hog is a gregarious animal and is
physiologically and anatomically
more nearly like man than any
other domestic animal, his stom
ach, intestines and whole system
of digestion and assimilation is al
most a counterpart of the human,
and as a result he cannot thrive on
coarse, bulky or very fiberous food.
It is good rule to follow in hog
raising, in all particulars, to put your
self in the other fellows place.
Where you would thrive and wax fat,
Mr. Hog will also think that he has
entered hog heaven. You would not
long maintain your health and
strength on such a food as alfalfa,
either green or in the form of hay.
nor will the hog do his best. | know
that 1t is a common practice to turn
brood sows and young pigs into an
alfalfa lot and there let them range
during the most of the summer with
out additional feed. This is a very
serious mistake; at no time in his
life history can as cheap gains be
made on the hog as in the early
stages of his life.
In an experiment conducted under
my direction at the Wisconsin Elk
pertinent Station, a number of years
ago it was learned that the proper
ton of food of support or mainten-
ance, to total feed in a 5Opound pig
was IS per cent; with a 100-pound
pig, % per cent: 150pound pig, 81
per cent; and a 20O-pound pig, SO per
cent. From this it will be seen that
/ il takes twice as much of the total
percentage of the food eaten to make
mp the food of support between 80
pound pig and a 200-pound pig.
Again, it was found that in the case
/ of a 50-pCund pig, it required 224.4
pounds of dry matter in feed to
produce 100 pounds of gain;
/ in the 150-pound pig, it re-
quired 1922 pounds of dry matter II
produce 100 pounds gain, and in
20O-pound pig, ii required 1858
pounds of dry matter to produce 100
pounds of gain From this it will be
seen that the earlier in life the pig
can be induced to eat largely of grain
the greater the returns that may be
secured from a given amount of feed;
and. this is particularly true when
the grain feed can be fed in combi-
nation with alfalfa pastures. AS a
maintenance ration alfalfa will just
about support a pig without allowing
anything additional for gain in
weight The more grain. therefore.
that a hog can be induced to eat
when on alfalfa pasture the more
rapidly the gain and the greater the
profit.
With barley, mill stuffs. wheat.
peas. rye. oats and q small amount
of corn, such as can be grown in this
country. we have all of the grains
necessary for the most profitable pro
duction of pork. II may be said. how
ever that these grains must be fed
in proper combination to give palata-
: bility and to supply the various nut
} riments and other elements in proper
! proportion for growth and develop
. ment without any waste. During the
? winter months roots and tubers such
as beets. mangels, turnips, carrots
and potatoes. all of which may be
readily grown in this country, will be
! found very valuable as supplemental
feeds to the grain ration.
5 In addition 70 this, We lave n rap
= idly growing dairy industry. and the
! by-products from the dairy in the
: form of skim and butter milk We
' have another valuable food supply
= which can best be utilized when fed
r to hogs.
Concerning the matter Of disease
e there is no large section of arabic
i land in the United States that is as
+ free from the many diseases to which
- the hog is heir as is this intermoun
!. tain country. The sunshine is 81
S bright and strong. and the atmos
{ phere is so rare that all kinds o
p germ diseases have poor chance fol
r development.
e AS to the last and most importan
k factor, which is the demand, or tn,
~
l. in this respect this section of tn,
G United States is at the present tim,
r particularly favored
It The last census report for 1910 gav'
). Utah a population of 37S.351 people
II The same census gave Utah a tota
Q of 64.244 hogs. including young pigs
e or a trifie over one hog for every fiv
II and one-half persons on the average
a and this would require that every ho
f. in the state would have to he slaught
II cred during the year; whereas
q large percentage of them are ken
D over for breeding stock. In the cas-
n of Idaho. with population of 325.59.
y we have hog population of 17S.241
in which case. we have a little owe
e one-half a hog for each person. PIT
" viding all were slaughtered. II ca
T. be readily seen that these two state
al do not in themselves produce nearl
ID enough pork for their own supply
Revenge.