The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-02-04
TOPP|NG THE MARKET
WITH GOOD HOGS
Portland Buyer Discusses Cues
ton of Interest to Swine
Raisers of this Section

"To do or not to do" the following
extracts from talk on Topping the
Market" by r. A. Bohoskey, will un-
doubtedly prove Of interest to the
farmers of this section.
at is, or should be, the ambition of
all hog raisers to top the market with
their hogs and after the successful
hog raiser has topped the market he
should not be content with this, but
should make an effort to "Spring the
Market" to use a stock yards phrase.
It should be a source of keen gratif-
cation to hog raiser to take his hogs
to market and on his return. home to
be able to tell his neighbors that he
not only topped the market, but he
raised the market to new level.
Purebreds vs.. Cross BREEDS
"The first step to be taken in this
direction should be to raise pure-bred
hogs. This is Of vital Importance to
the ultimate success Of any hog raiser.
Volumes have been written as to the
advisability Of raising pure-bred hogs,
and you, no doubt, have been urged to
raise pure-breds times without num-
Der. You cannot, however, have this
matter brought to your attention too
forcibly. have often heard the state
ment made that the first cross is an
improvement on pure-bred hogs for
market purposes, but / have never
been convinced that there is any adj
vantage whatever to be derived from
crossing two breeds Of hogs. Grant
ing, however, that the first crossing
makes an excellent hog, there are
times when it is necessary to save the
gifts for breeding purposes, and if
these are bred their progeny will en-
brace all the undesirable features Of
both breeds and bear little resem-
blance to their pure-bred ancestors.
Buyers Prefer Purebreds
ut alweys pays to remember that
an even load Of pure-bred hogs Of uni
form size, carrying finish and quality,
makes an attractive display and APP
peals very strongly to the buyer. He
will make a special effort to buy hogs
Of this kind even If it is necessary to
spring. the market to do so. He can
estimate within one or two per cent Of
what these hogs will yield and can
figure the dressed cost very closely.
On the other hand, load of hogs Of
assorted sizes and breeds are hard to
judge and he is forced to make liberal
allowances when buying this class Of
hogs, and generally a load of this
kind does not bring what it is worth,
as it is heavily discounted by the buy
er.
~ certainly would not advocate sell
ing your sows at sacrifice and in
vesting in pure-breds at high cost.
This would be counting financial dis
aster if done too hastily. It is better
to breed up, using pure-bred boars, the
best that can be obtained and as you
fatten up your cross-bred sows for
market and dispose Of them, replace
them with pure-breds Of the same
breed as your boar, wherever possible.
Most Desirable Breed
II have been asked great many
times, What breed Of hogs is most in
demand by the packers?' The pack
ers have an assortment Of types. They
would be placed at a great disadvan-
tage if they were forced to buy all
Poland Chinas, Duroc Jerseys or Ches-
ter Whites. They must have some of
the bacon types as well, such as the
Tamworth, the Hampshire, the York.
shire and the Berkshire. Any Of these
breeds, or any Of the standard breeds,
are what the packer wants.
Fortunately, the hog raisers dis
agree as to the most profitable breed
to raise. The producer should decide
as to the breed best suited to his
taste; he should then invest in pure
bloods Of this type and stay with the
breed, not allowing any foreign blood
to work into his herd.
The Best Weight Hog
II have also been asked, What
weight hog is required by the packer
and what weight hog will top the mar
ket? The range Of weights within
which load Of hogs will top the mar
ket is wide indeed. Hogs weighing
from $50 to $50 pounds will top the
market. providing, of course, that they
possess quality and finish. The pack
er must have assorted sizes as well as
assorted types. It does not necessar-
lily follow that the producer endeavor
to embrace these various weights in a
car Of hogs; he should endeavor to
turn of his hogs as uniform in size
and weight as possible. They look
better and sell better. The hog raiser
should also decide for himself as to
what weight hog he should put on the
market.
ut would be fallacious for me to
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