The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1914-01-30

Swine are adapted to wide range
OF climate and their economical pro-
duction involves some factors which
are sometimes overlooked. Aside
from the producing of crops, the
amount of shelter required to make
pigs comfortable, and the cost of
sheltering material mean the differ
ence IN the cost of production. AS
an example, assume locality where
the climate is mild and lumber
cheap, so that a comfortable house
can be secured for IS per SOW. AS
sumo that such structure will last
ten years. The annual deprecia-
ton would be SO cents a year and
the interest at the start, 40 cents a
year, decreasing during the 10 years
until the depreciation has equaled
the value. Ninety cents year then
is the maximum to be charged to
each SOW for shelter. Now assume
a less hospitable climate where a
house must be warmer, contain more
glass, and, in general, be more ex-
pensive. Assume a cost of shelter
of $25 per SOW, making total cost
for shelter at SO. Is per year. The
difference in shelter costs amounts
to one pig per SOW. Other climatic
conditions initiate against the hap
piness and consequent profit of
swine. Large amounts of snow and
ice induce the pigs to stay too much
indoors, and in summer, too bright
and clear a sky without available
shade, frequently causes white pigs
to sunburn.
Forage crops should be available
for at least six months of the year.
The grain crops, ranked in the order
of their desirability for pig feeding,
are: Corn, wheat, barley, oats
spelt and rye. This is not because
of the amount of nutriment con.
tanned in the feeds, as much depends
on the way pigs relish the food,
causing them to eat greater or small
Ter quantities. There is so little
difference in the grains, except rye,
that at the same price per hundred
pounds, if one feed produces a good
profit, the others should. OF the
crops grown for forage, alfalfa,
clover, bluegrass, rape, wheat and
rye are valuable in about the order
named, providing they grow equally
well.
Brood sows can generally be Sc
cured at about the market price
/
of fat swine, and if they have
to be hauled far enough, freight
must be added. If they can be Sc
cured in the same locality where
they are to be kept, it is best to do
so. In this way it is usually pos
sible to know whether they are free
from diseases, or exposed to it, and
there is less liability to exposure in
transit. Do not buy sows in gen.
eral markets where they have been
exposed to every disease to which
swine are heir. Do not secure them
from a farm where hog cholera or
tuberculosis has recently been. II
immunized to cholera by vaccina-
ton, they are all right, provided all
other hogs on the farm to which
they are taken have been immunized
But where tuberculous COWS have
been on farm, select no hogs.
| When the proper place to secure
brood sows has been located, select
as many as desired with short
broad faces, long, broad-archeo
backs, smooth side lines and gooo
hams. If selecting from young
stock, get the largest growthiest ano
in general, the latest ones that con
form to the above description. Elk
cessively fat ones are not desirable
breeders but few such will be found
even in the swine which are ready
for market. Many more sows art
below than above good feeding con
dition on the farms of the American