The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1914-02-05
North Dakota Pork
Production Contest

Contest was carried on by 2S9 boys
and girls. Each one fed and cared for
litter of pigs to see who could pro-
duce the most pork in the least time
and the most economically.
The contest was won by Charles
Russell Of Bottineau. He produced
1908 pounds of pork from one litter in
203 days at cost of little less than
3 cents pound. The SOW was a
Yorkshire; number il litter IA; num-
Der raised IA; total cost of feed fed
$S3.12; profit, with pork at &c, $9106
for the litter. Ninety-four qualified
for finals on the twentieth of Novem-
Der.
Thomas Cooper, director of the
North Dakota Experiment Station, in
planning the contest gave out the fol-
lowing conditions: The litter from
one sow-no entry allowed where sow
narrowed later than June 15th-to be
fed and cared for by boy or girl, 10
to Is years Of age; monthly reports to
be sent in Of food fed; contest to close
November GOTH, This means making
the pork before cold weather sets in.
The following data was secured:
Number Of each breed entered; Po-
land China LOG; Duroc Jersey SO:
Yorkshire, IL; Chester White AZ;
Berkshire IA; Mulefoot, /; cross bred
%; mixed %. The average size of
litter raised was: Poland China IL;
Duroc Jersey rs; Yorkshire 9.5;
Chester White, III; Berkshire 20;
cross bred ~. Average weight of lit
ter at close of contest was: Poland
China 1870; Duroc Jersey 141O; York.
shire 1924; Chester White 1889; cross
bred 1447. The average weight per
pig was: Poland China 19s pounds;
Duroc Jersey 1856 IL; Yorkshire 1872;
Chester White 1870; cross breds 1873.
The average age when contest closed
was: Poland China 213 days; Duroc
Jersey 227; Yorkshire 219; Chester
White 210; cross breds 217. The
average weight of the hogs in the "a
litters that stood highest was PIP
pounds at an average age OF 213 days.
Corn, barley and oats were the main
main foods fed. Shores, screenings,
rye and spell were also used. Sixty
seven per cent fed considerable skim
milk, while SO per cent Of the con.
testants used pasture. The values
given the foods were as follows: Corn
49c per bushel; oats $40; barley 45c;
rye SIC; bran and shorts $500;
skim milk Csc per 100 pounds; grass
pasture $3.49 per acre, and annual pas
ture 1884. No charge was made for |
house Stops.
The average profits per litter, with
pork at six cents, for the Poland China
were $3.50; Duroc Jersey $42.26;
Yorkshire $4S,33; Chester White,
S34.30, and cross bred $26.38. The
average profit Of the "a filters that
stood highest was s61.04.
The local management was in the
hands of the Better Farming Section.
These rs field men kept in touch with
the contestants so far as was possible.
The prizes offered consisted of $34O
in cash contributed as follows: st.
Paul Union Stock Yards $500; Swift
& Company 500; Commission firms
s140 Several pure bred hogs were
also included.
The contest demonstrated that there
Is sufficient time to raise spring filters
to marketable age before cold !
weather sets in-that the feeds raised |
in the state produce pork efficiently
and that when fed to hogs a much |
higher return is secured for the feeds !
than the prevailing market price. The
hog furnishes one of the best ways for
Of the corn crop. In the
North Dakota Corn Contest, just clos
ed, one boy, in the southern part of
the state, raised 106 bushels of matur-
ed corn on an acre, while as much as ;
SO bushels of matured corn was pro-
duced close to the northern border of
the state.