Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-05-28
HOG RAISING,
IPro7. p. A. Campbell, Farmers week, oroEo
1881

t'so.I
The cost OF producing the pig depends
upon the cost OF keeping the SOW for the
year, also proportionate part OF the
boar's cost Of maintenance, this of course
varying with the number pigs which he is
the sire of The cost OF both sow and
boar includes feed, labor, and overhead
charges.
From this 1t may be seen that SOW
that produces only five pigs in year
brings the cost OF the pigs up to about
twice what it would be il she produced
ten; or three times what they would cost
il she produced fifteen. Consequently
the necessity of selecting prolific stock /,
also OF handling the SOW in SUCH way
that she will produce thrifty pigs and the
saving OF the pigs after narrowing is
apparent.
1t is also just as essential that good
breeding stock be used in order to pro-
duce the right type of pig. IT is well
nearer to the birth period pound Of
gain can be made the cheaper will be the
cost of that pond OF gain. Any pig that
Is kept merely for fattening purposes
should be ready for market by the time
| IL is six to eight months OF age. 1t is very
| likely that the hog dressing 400 or 500
pounds varying in age from year
upward - owes the feeder more than the
hog will possibly sell for.
| The young pig, while still sucking it's
dam, should learn to eat by having q small
| trough placed in run that the pig can
| easily get to. II skim milk is available
| the feed may be mixture OF skim milk
and middlings. Bran should not be used
at any time in swine feeding, except possi-
| bly, with the brood SOW that has a ten
dency to take on fat. The capacity OF the
pigs stomach is limited and the hog does
not digest crude fibre readily. Although
| middlings and bran are not materially
| different in food nutrients the hog gets
| about twice the results from middlings
| that 1t does from bran.
The pig fed supplemental feed in this
way scarcely notices the weaving period,
and II the SOW is sucking good number
OF pigs and they have plenty OF exercise
there will be little or no danger from over
feeding, or producing case OF "thumps".
For some time after weaving, a ration OF
one part middliugs to three parts ski N
milk (oy weight) will produce satisfac-
tory growth. II more skim milk is avail
BILE, 1t may be used, but care should be
exercised not to permit enough milk to be
fed to create stoppage, for in such cases
too much milk is worse than none.
sthe pig develops, corn meal may gradu-
ally take the place OF the middlings until
at four or Ave months Of age the meal has
entirely replaced the milk. Many expert
ments have been conducted to determine
| whether the corn ground into meal is
more efficient than whole corn. Usually
the cornmeal has produced the best re-
suits. With corn al the price it usually is
here in Maine 1t is safe to assume that it
will always pay to grind the corn.
No saving Is made by cooking the feed
in fact not quite so good returns have
been made. The only exception to this
Is with potatoes. The hog likes cooked
potatoes better and will eat them readily,
while he will eat only limited amount Of
raw ones.
II there are no dairy by-products
available, feeding tankage may be used to
take the place OF skim milk. One part OF
tankage to nine or ten parts OF meal (by
weight) usually gives as good results at
the milk. A ration made up Of corn alone
produces very fat hog, but as corn is
lacking in ash, the bone does not grow
fast enough so but what the hog is FREE
quently too heavy for his bones and the
common expression is that the hog goes
"off its feet".
Barley may be used for fattening, but
does not make quite as large gains for the
pounds fed as corn, and it Is better when
fed with other feeds. Rye may be used
the same as barley. Pasture alone as a
rule does not furnish satisfactory ration
usually supplying little more than a
maintenance, but when used with sup
elemental grain feed, produces good re-
suits and more economical gains than
| when pasture is not used. One of the
most economical pastures is rape-dwari
| Essex rape is the variety sown. Clover
makes good pasture, also peas and oats
Everything considered, the man who
desires to grow pork in Maine has equal
advantages with feeders in any part OF
the East. Dairy by-products, pasture,
| potatoes, barley, corn-ail furnish a part
of the hogs ration, and when converted
| into pork provide a manufactured form in
which they can be sold with good returns
|