Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1912-01-12


possible to raise hogs. and produce
pork in this intermountain country at
a profit. Some, and perhaps the ma
| iority of them. believe that hogs can
not be grown and fattened at
profit in any country where
corn cannot be abundantly and
cheapy grown; in fact, they are
not backward In expressing their con-
viction that hogs cannot be grown and
fattened without corn. After some
years experience in hog growing and
fattening in this western country, we
are convinced 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 Ave
prime factors that have to do with
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 its ca
pacity to produce an abundance OF
suitable feed products cheaply; fourth,
the prevalence OF disease, and fifth and
most important, the demand for pork
products or the availability of good
market. Let us consider briefly these
FIVE factors, and apply them to our
conditions. and see how nearly we fill
the bill in this section. In the first in.
stance, we have as progressive lot of
farmers as may be found in any sec
ton 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
tnsures success, but this skill and
knowledge can be secured in very
short time with little practical ex-
perience and careful study. 1t can,
therefore, be said that in SO far as the
first factor is concerned that our con.
ditions are favorable.
As regards the climate, this section
cannot be excelled in any other part
of this continent for hog raising. This
ls 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
temperature in each twenty-four hours;
and this objection, while very serious
one. II not guarded against, is very
readily overcome. The hog Is by ma
ture a semi-tropical animal, he has a
light coat of very coarse hair at best,
and is consequently very susceptible
to cold or chills. Again, the hog has
no Precipitation 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 a means of cooling the
surface of their bodies through the
evaporation of the perspiration which
exudes from the open pores of their
skin whenever the temperature of the
body rises abnormally This mer-
ciful provision of nature has
been denied the hog, consequent
ly, when he is exposed to the
burning hot sun during the middle of
the day, and his body becomes over
heated, he should be provided with
some kind of shelter or shade; and
with some means of supplying mois-
ture for evaporation from the surface
OF his body. On the other hand, when
the sun goes down, and the chill air
from the mountains descends into
the valleys in the evening. or during
the night the hog having no ade-
quate covering OF hair is very readily
chilled. The result of which is very
apt to be a serious loss from pneu-
monia and other pulmonary troubles
particularly in the case of young pigs
and very fat animals. In summer, 1t
Is important, therefore that hogs
should he furnished with some shell.
ter in the fields. We provide small
"A"-shaped. eight-foot square hog
houses. These are cheap, easily
moved from place to r'ace and an
swer every purpose, both for shelter
from the sun and from the cool night
air. providing, they are well venti-
lated. In addition to ADEQUATE shell
ter all posture lots for hogs In sum.
mer should be provided with bath
In which the animals en- go at will
not SO much to clean thcir bodies as
to cool themselves. Hos should not
be forced to make a wp"@w in some
dirty, filthy stagnant ro9l of water
In order t. cool themselves. Provide
each pastu"a lot with a small tank
eight by eight feet square and ten
inches deem. made of nlnnk gr con.
crete, set into the ground and have
this supplied with fresh, c'oan water
once or twice a week, which will not
hold to ey"eed two or three barrels
and to this bath, each week. you
should add about two qnarts of some
good coal tar disinfecta,t It will be
found an excellent precartion against
disease. and, particularly those of a
parasitical nature. and IL ia most eff
fectiye method that l know of, fol-
keeping the animals free from lice
and vermin. With these r,'nor pro
tections against sudden e-tre,nes In
temperature. this climate is certainly
ideal for hogs OF all ages.
Concerning the soil. li'tln need be
said for 1t is such In ALMOST ever,
section that 1t will produce a maxi
mum yield of all knss Of cerea'
grains, as we'll as peas. beans and
| So