Imperial Valley press., 1917-05-21
SOW
ANEXCfLLtNT
INVESTMENT
Marketing a Sow Now De
scribed as Selling Goose
That Laid Golden Egg

Is true even in these strenuous times
OF high prices of food concentrates,
say specialists of the United States
department of Agriculture. The quo
tations on these feeds are controlled
TO a considerable extent by the price
at which meat animals sell. Hence
concentrates usually command high
figure when hogs on the hoof at large
packing centers sell at more than 1G
cents per pound. However, record
prices of swine as we'll as feed con-
centrates have been great incentive
to farmers to 'cash in" all the hogs
available. That many sows have been
included is evident from the fact that
On April l the correspondents of the
Bureau of Crop Estimates reported
approximately per cent fewer sows
on farms in the United States than a
year before. Further, this is the first
year that the supply has not increased
since 1918.
At this time the marketing Of a
sow that can be or has been bred is
fairly comparable to "killing the goose
that laid the golden egg" Although
the fecundity of swine is well appre-
oiated by farmers, at times sows are
sacrificed when a little forethought
would cause them tc be retained.
Breeding sows multiply five or six
times as rapidly as other meat ami
naals. They have an average litter of
five or six pigs and may be bred twice
a year, although three times in two
years accords more with current farm
practice. The litters increase in size,
on the average, until sows are or 6
years old. However, 4 large proper
tion of the sows are sold after pro-
ducing one or two litters and before
they have reached the period of great
est usefulness. Occasionally sows ara
unsuitable for breeding because of
their clumsiness, high" condition, in
activity or barrenness, and these, OF
course, go to market when of proper
weight, but the total sows of this class
is a mere bagetelle.
In these days when labor is high and
also scarce on many farms, the hog
II ay afford "a way out" Hogs utilize
refuse and waste grains, damaged
grains, and garbage; garnering grain
behind cattle or shattered grain in har-
vest fields, and utilizing slaughter
house by-products and dairy by-pro-
Ducts. They are also largely self
feeders. The modern farm cafeteria
gives a pig a chance TO make hog of
himself more quickly than he can by
the handled route, and it has the
added merit of being the cheapest way
OF producing pork. A sow when she
is not developing a litter Of nursing
pigs can ia summer time be placed in
a pasture and given very little grain.
In winter, possibly the cheapest main
ttnance ration is a combination Of
& ain and hay, such as corn, wheat,
rye or barley, and alfalfa, clover, cow
peas or soy-bean hay. The grain should
be limited 70 one or two pounds Per
hundred pounds live weight per day.
Sows should be given all the hay they
Y III clean up. Sows which show eX-
oeptionally run down condition from
? rIckling their pigs should be separated
from the nerd and fed grain until
they regain breeding condition. Where
pastures are very luXgriant IL is pos
sible 20 carry bFeedin~ sows on pas
trre alone. hut the mos: ra,atablc hay
viii not keep sows ia good breeding
c ndition If fed alone.
Breeding sows are az a premium and
the demand for young stock is unpre-
cedented The hog bUyers state in
their reports that they are compelled
to take anything that looks liEe q hog
The fluctuation in the number of hoy
n the United States is subject largely
10 the fluctuations In the financial
condition Of the country. The high
prices paid for hogs are . big induce
nent 20 farmers 10 market their hogs
and, as stated before. the high price
OF corn caused them % cot loose during
the latter part Of the year. The high
prices paid for hogs and an increasing
export trade are the two main factor
which make the hog business especial
L. attractive at the present time. MI
lions Of farmers would purchase sow
t. farrow this coming spring if the
could, but this is almost an impossi
bility. Those farmers who are Tor
tunate enough % have retained thci
breeding sows will play an importan
role in placing spring pigs on the mar
ket. The spring gifts from these lit
tiers should not be sent % market 10
meat surposes. but should BE- retainei
or sold only for breeding purposes iI
order to augment the pig crop mex
year.