Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-12-20
Danger in Specializing
in Hog Business


ket, as Well rs the high price o.
corn, have caused hog Iaisers in vari'
Gus parts OF the country 10 reduce th(
number OF soWs IN thetr herds, accord
ing 10 reports received by the United
States Dc partmGnt OF Agriculture
But hog raising on the farm should o'
made "a stable. regular business, de-
pGylmeat SPECIALISTS believe. The mar
beginning 10 raise hogs should resolve
10 follow il year in ana year out re-
Sardless of the price he may obtain
tor his hogs or the cost Of the feed
which he converts into PORK. LIKE
every other farming activity, pork pro-
duction has its ups and dowas,out ac-
cording TO longtime averages, the
farmer who sticks realizes a lair anc
dependable profit the specialists de-
clare.
one source OF failure is that toe
many follow IL as speculation rather
than as a business. They plunge or
hogs just as they would gamble on
grain futures or on the stock market
Operations OF this character are never
beneficial for any business. Because
of the recent decline in the hog mar
ket IL does not necessarily follow tha'
the selling price OF the pigs that VIII
be raised from the sows bred this raj
will not be satisfactory. The pigs oil
this fall will not be ready for year
and untold changes may come ABOUT
Every farmer who Is conservatives
careful, and painstaking IN his hog
% a
years of experimentation to oeterrnlne
approximately the maximum and MINI
mum number of sowe that he can main :
tain on his farm at the greatest ne!
profit, When he has accurately ascer-
tanned this number he should oreeo
that many sows every year, other con
ditions being equal. IN adhe1ng 10
this plan the farmer Is, In no sense, q
speculator. but Is IN reality business
man practicing common sense ousi-
ness management. Hog raising thru
out the localities where pork Is made
as a regular and dependable cash crop
has proved one of the most reliable
farm activities in which the FARMER
engages, and despite market huctua-
lions and the spasmodic irregularities
in prices the prospects are that pors
production will be as profitable In the
future as 1t has been In the past.
Two Methods Of Handling Pigs.
When the fall pig crop has been
wsaned the future management OK the
hogs becomes Of paranont interest &c
the grower. Specialists OF the United
States Department OF Agriculture To'
port two general methods for the prot'
liable handling Of fail pigs during thu
winter. One system Is to push the hogs
"a rapidly as possible in order to sci
them on the market before the ho'
weather Of the following summer. Thu
really Is the 'hothouse" method o.
producing pork. IS the animals ar
given extra care and feed IN rushing
them toward rapid maturity. TIL
method involves particularly soo'
housing for the hogA - protecuoi
from the severe weather OF winter II
the colder locations IL essential. ON
Of the most important factors 10 cieaI
bedding. Above all things fall pig
should never be allowed to sleep II
damp bedding, as 1t Is prolinc sourc'
of colds and pneumonia.
Another method Of carrying fall pig
thru the winter Is to maintain tn
animals on good growing rat,o1
which is relatively rich In protein
carrying materials. These are pre-
requisite for the making OF large
bony framework. The idea Is to prim
the hogs into good condition so tina
they may be turned out on grass tn
next spring with . well deveiope'
framework on which they can store
| surplus Of fat. These animals ca
then be carried thru tho winter OF
good pasture with the addition OF
little xrain, thereby making some gail
in weight and considerable gain i
size, and be In splendid condition IN
following fall to fatten rapidly on tn
new corn crop. This system Involve
maintaining the hogs on the farm j
some instances until the animals ar
Is to ls months Of age. but often IN
porkers can be FED more cheaply wner
this method iS pract.ced than ~ner
the hogs are pushed rapidly to marke
maturity.
! Many herdsren neglect 70 provid
a sufficient amount Of drinking waite
for the hogs during the winter months
Pigs should have free access to pur
water at all times.