Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-06-11
Io.oa's Pig Crop
About Like 1917

rRy r. l.. ouaite, A. II. Department
state College.l
A short time ago duesuohnairo
was sent out to the various county
agents OF the state asking them Tor es-
Inmates on various phases of'the swine
situation, and eighty-six OF the couh-
ties replied to the questions,
That Iowa will not have as large
crop Of pigs as last spring 10 almost
unanimously agreed upon by these
men, the estimated decrease ranging
in sixty nine counties from 20 30 per
cent Thirteen counties reported pro-
duction as average, four counties re-
ported increases ranging from 5 to 10
per cent. For the state the estimated
decrease for 1919 would be Is TO 20 per
cent from 1918. In making this COM
parison Il should be remembered that
the 1919 spring pig crop was about 10
per cent greater than 1917, so the crop
this year should approximate that OF
1911.
Only a few counties reported an in'
crease in sows bred as compared 10
1918. and these were located In the
northeastern part OF the state. where
production was cut down materially
las, year because OF the poor corn crop
OF 1911.
During the breeding season a sick
ness referred 70 as "flu" prevailed in
many herds, and IL seems 10 be the
general opinion of swine men that
many sows failed 10 settle, where they
had been troubled with this disease,
That fewer sows farrowed compared
TO 1915, there is little question.
littsrs Are Weak.
Small. weak. dead and aborted lit
tiers have been very general. II was
an open winter and the sows should
and probably did get plenty OF exer-
else. Yet the pigs did not come strong.
What WAS the trouble? Probably the
feed. Corn and oats were the two
most plentiful feeds available to the
farmer. and many used them to the ex-
clusion OF all other feeds. Protein
feeds, sch as tankage, hnseed oil
meal, etc. were considered TOO high in
price for the results to be obtained.
Consequently thousands Of sows in the
state OF Iowa received nothing but corn
from early fall to narrowing time.
Others fed largely on oats, feed no
better. For a number OF years the
animal husban6ry section Of the Iowa
experiment station has been conduct
ing experiments TO determine the effect
O, the ration FED the SOW upon the pigs
she produces. and their results show
conclusively that sows getting just
corn, or corn and oats. or largely oats,
produce a iaTs5T percentage % snail,
weak and dead pigs than the sows
which are fed more variety, and at
least receive some additional protein in
form OF tankage or SKINNED milk or
buttermilk
Corn and oats alone do not contain
the materials necessary for the devel-
opment OF size and strength in pigs
and any one who feeds them and moth
ing else 20 brood sows is sure 10 meet
with less success than is the man who
feeds additional feeds.
Trouble With Milk Flow.
Occasionally a SOW is so constituted
that she gives very little milk. or pos
sibly none at all a. narrowing time, but
ninety nine times out OF one hundred
the trouble IS due to the feed rather
than 20 the SOW. I. a SOW is 10 give
a large ssw Of milk she must be fed
the materials with which to make it.
COW fed nothing but corn and a car
bohydrate roughage will make very lit
tie udder and give but little milk. and
the same applies 70 sows.
Many OF the sows came up TO far
rowing time too fat, thus giving rroub-
lie at narrowing time, giving birth TO
small and weak pigs, and having very
little milk for the pigs. a
Considerable abortion was also re-
ported. This trouble seems TO be on
the increase. April was a wet mean
month for little pigs and quite a per-
cen-age Of the decrease can be attrib-
uted to this cause.
There seems TO be disposition on
the part Of many Of the Iowa men