The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1917-12-21
FEED HOGS GARBAGE;
INCREASE FOOD SUPPL '

/ eff garbage in good condition is fed
with proper surroundings, there is ne
reason why pork from this source
should not compare favorably with
that from granted hogs"
| This is conclusion reached in Cir
cular No. 80, issued by the United
j States Department Of Agriculture on
the subject, Disposal Of City Garbage
by Feeding to Hogs.
At no time in American history has
the elimination Of waste been a more
emphatic necessity than at present,
the circular points out. If, entirely
aside from effecting an economy in
city management, the garbage pro-
duced in cities and towns can be used
profitably in pork production. it is
urged that every effort should be made
to convert it to this purpose.
Reports in the possession of the De-
partment of Agriculture show that
where table scraps form part or all
of the pigs diet, the gains cost con-
siderably less than the gains made by
their granted competitors. On the
other hand, while many people recog-
nize in hog feeding the possibility Of
cheaper disposal of garbage than
by rendering, incinerating. dumping,
ETC., there is no reliable and complete
source of information on the subject.
The department began the study of
this problem to determine whether
there is an opportunity for conser-
walton of city waste by feeding it to
hogs. thus giving back to the city a
supply Of food in the form Of pork,
and at the same time affording the city
more economical and efficient method
of garbage disposal.
The renort of special commission
nm the "Co11ection and nisposal of
Municipal Waste" Worcester. Mass,
shows the cost per canita per annum
for the collection and disnosal Of gar
bage in IT cities of the United States.
Seven of these cities feed their GER
bage to hogs: the other 10 disnose of
it by other methods. such as incinera-
tion, reduction, burial, etc. The ever-
age cost per canita per annurd for
those feeding garbage is about S0116,
and the average cost for the other 10.
$0337. q saving of S0.221 per capita
per annum IF these averages are con-
firrned by reports from large number
of cities, It would seem that hogs as
garbage converters could directly save
the people in the cities Of the United
States enormous sums of money an
nually. and add a not inconsiderable
amount IN the meat supply Of the Ma
tion. While these averages can not be
taken as absolute for the whole coun-
try, they are strong indication Of
the possibilities.
Approximately IS to 20 hounds of
garbage are required day for fat
tening hog of 1926 to 200 pounds, de-
nending unon the character Of the gar
bage. II has been estimated that |
tons Of garbage are REQUIRED to grow
pig to 200 hounds. the feeding period
extending from 10 to IL months. The |
circular saws that information obtained
thus far indicates that while cooking |
of garbage is not essential in summer
if II is clean and fed promptly. the |
rractice is advisable in winter. when
the garbage contains higher per-
centage Of grease that can be removed
in the cooking process. 1t is also
rointed out that while it may be pos
sible under the most careful and sani-
tarv measures to feed raw garbage
with freedom from disease and para
sites. as precautionary measure
sterilization or cooking is advisable.
Garbage-fed hogs are found TO be
exceptionally free from lice and in
testinal parasites. and when fed upon
sterilized or cooked garbage they
have been found to be as free from
disease as other hogs bought on the
open market.