The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-03-05

but more pigs should be raised in a
cal from each SOW.
1t does not pay to try to raise hogs
on grain alone. In fact, the profit in
pig raising, especially in the South,
depends directly on the amount of pas
ture of some kind used to enable the
pig to make its gain in weight. OF the
southern forage crops peanuts, soy
beans, rape and cowpeas are especially
valuable. Now, these are not avail
able all through the year, therefore we
use a series of crops. For example,
have some winter oats on which the
sows can turned as soon as the pigs
are a week or two old. When these
are gone put the pigs on good Ber-
muda and lesredeza pasture. Have a
crop of soy beans or cowpeas coming
and turn the pigs on this after wean-
ing, keeping the sows on the Ber-
muda- When these are gone put the
pigs in a peanut patch, and finish fat
tening them on rape.
The pigs should be weaned at ten or
twelve weeks of age and should then
weigh about so pounds. They should
have learned to eat a little grain by
going to the sow's trough. Then be-
gin to feed them. Give them every
day grain equal to 2 per cen of their
weight A pig weighing 80 pounds
should have Sc pounds of grain; ten
pigs Of this weight, six pounds, etc.
Divide this into two feeds, morning
and evening. This amount of grain
will make them grow nicely on good
pasture. AS they grow, increase the
amount of grain. When they weigh
about 125 pounds give them 3 per cent
of their weight in grain, and when
they weigh about $50 pounds each give
them 4 per cent and finish them off,
slaughtering in the winter on a cool
day. Pigs properly fed should weigh
200 pounds at nine months old. Do not
feed c%ottonseed meal to hogs.
1t is not necessary to spend a lot of
money to carry out such a plan. OF
course, the Bermuda pasture where
the sows are turned should have a
good fence. The crops on which the
pigs are grazed car be fenced with
homemade hurdles of lumber or woven
wire, which may be moved as desired,
and the pigs will stay in it while the
pasture is good. Ten pigs can be
kept on half an acre of one of the
crops mentioned above from four to
eight weeks, depending on their size.
3. A poor pig is not worth raising or
feeding. Your pigs should be sired
by a good pure-bred Duroc Jersey,
Berkshire, or Poland China boar. After
you have decided which of the three
you want, stick to the same breed and
In a little while you will have pigs
which are very much alike, a model
for others, and an advertisement for
your community. If you car afford it,
start with good grade sows. If not,
natives (razorbacks) will do. White
pigs should not be used in the South,
as they sunburn badly.
4. Expensive houses are not neces-
sary for hogs in the South. Give the
sow a dry place to farrow, a pen well
bedded and sheltered from cold winds
and storms, and both she and the pigs
will do well. Little pigs that get
chilled or wet soon after birth often
die or grow into "runts." If there is
no suitable place around the farm for
the SOW, make a lean-to with poles,
about 10 by IL feet, six feet high in
front and four feet high behind, facing
1t to the south, and thatch it with
straw. cheap hay, or even cornstalks,
and the litter will be well housed.
Make the thatch roof higher in the
middle than at the sides and smooth
1t down so that rain will run OF.
Two sows should raise five pigs
each. giving the farmer ten pigs to
slaughter. These pigs should weigh,
when slaughtered. 200 pounds each,
making 1000 pounds of live weight.
This costs about 3h cents per pound
to make In the South under the system
described above. which is an original
cost OF $70. Killing will cost not over
s.. The loss in dressing Is about 80
per cent Of the live weight, or 600
pounds on ten pigs. SO that 1,4O0
pounds OF dressed pork is on hand aft.
er slaughtering. II you can get a local
Ice plant to chill and cure the meat
for you. the manager should charge
not over four cents per pound, which
Is $50. Then the meat loses weight
In curing, amounting to about one cent
per pound. or $14. The total cost Of
the meat is about as follows:
Raising 1000 pounds, at 3h cents
per pound recommendations 20
h1liinE B
Curing 400 pounds. at 4 cents
PEI pound 81
Shrinkage on 1,400 pounds, at I
cent per pound II