Tensas gazette., 1917-12-14
SPLENDID SPECIMEN OF BROOD SOW.
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)

Dy tne OnlteO DSpoi
ment of Agricultural
No branch of livestock farming
gives better results than the raising OF
well-bred swine when conducted with
reasonable amount of intelligence.
The hog is one of the most important
animals to raise on the farm, either
for meat or for profit. and no farm is
complete unless some hogs are Kept
to aid in the modern method of farm
Ing. The farmers of the South and
West, awakening to the merits OF the
hog, are rapidly increasing their out
put of pork and their bank accounts.
The hog requires less labor, less equip
ment. less capital, and makes greater
trates than any other farm animal,
and reproduces himself faster and in
greater numbers; and returns the
money invested more quickly than any
other farm animal except poultry.
In the trucking and mixed-farming
sections of the United States hogs are
used to consume various unmarketable
substances. The value of milk Is
known on every farm, although it may
not be fully appreciated, and any one
who has fed pigs knows the keen ap-
petite they have for milk and its prod
ucts. In the neighborhood of many
large dairies pork production has be-
come very prominent and lucrative
supplement to the dairy industry. The
hog is also large factor In cheapen-
ing the production of beef. Hogs are
placed in the cattle feed lots to utilize
the corn and other feeds which the
cattle have failed to digest and which
otherwise would be wasted. Hogs fol-
lowing steers in many cases have in
creased the profit per steer by from So
to 50. Farmers and hotel and restaur-
ant owners are using kitchen refuse to
produce salable pork. In fact, as
consumer of by-prOducts the hog has
no rival.
However, this propensity in many
instances is being taken unfair advan-
tage of through ignorance and lack OF
care. Milk products, animal Offal, etc.
which contain disease germs, especial
ly those of tuberculosis, are given to
hogs. This practice not only results
in spreading disease but causes loss In
the hogs themselves through cOndem
nation at slaughter.
Hog-Growing Sections.
The first place in hog raising In the
United States is easily with the corn
growing sections. where corn Is the
first grain thought of when the fatten
ing of hogs is considered. 1t is, how
ever, fallacious to argue that hog rails
ing will not give profitable returns out
side OF the corn belt. The corn bel
has grent advantages for economical
pork production. but 1t also has its dis
advantages. The cheapness and abun
often led farmers to use 1t as the ex
elusive grain feed. Breeding stock 81
fed does not thrive well and is not 81
prolific as when given a varied ration
and when used for fattening, an ex
elusive corn diet is not generally prof
liable. The work of the agriculture
colleges and experiment stations dur
ing recent years has done much 4
show breeders and feeders the undesir
ability of this, practice, and the In
creasing price of corn has forced farm
ers to economize in its use as much a
possible.
The few states comprising the cor
belt are the source of supply for
great amount of swine products, espt
cially hams and bacon. that are cor
sumed in other portions of the cOur
try. Yet the advantages Of these corr
belt states are little, If at all, superio
r to those of many others outside of tina
t district. The South has an abundanc
2 of vegetation. Cowpeas, soy beans
E velvet beans and peanuts are legum
nous crops peculiar to that sectiO
e which have great value In pig raisin,
e Corn grows readily In all parts of tn
South. and in the subtrOpical section
e the experience of feeders with cassav
= seems to Indicate that it has cOnside
: able value for pork production.
e addition there is generally an abuI
: dant water supply; the climate is mil
: and there is a long period during who
g green feed Is available; thus the e,
: pense of shelter and winter feeding
S greatly lessened. These condition
a giving a long period of pasture an
e outdoor life, enhance thrift and wit
I proper management insure great fire.
e dom from disease.
The East is peculiarly adapted
hog raising In view of the fact tn,
markets for fresh pork and cure
z products may be found in local cor
II munities as we'll as in the larger citi'
l and the various coast resorts. AS r
I CARDS feeds, corn Is being grown su
l. cessfully In the East, and In some Sc
J. tions the average yield per acre
greater than that Of the middle Wes
D Clover, blue grass. and many other fO
; age crops especially adapted for swil
production grow rapidly in near
every section of the East. In the true
ing sections there is wasted annual
n vast quantity of unmarketable pro
s. ucts that might be used with profit
Is feeding hogs. The dairy distric
offer an advantage to the hog raiser
"a furnishing such by-products as ski
c. milk and buttermilk, which are esp
le cialiy relished and profitably utiliz
by growing pigs.
In the extreme West the alfalfa
the irrigated valleys and the clover