Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-11-18
Farmers Can Overcome High
Priced Corn By Advantage
of Other Feeds Must Pro
duce Pigs At Less Cost

constitutes Il valuable industry. More
than 40 per cent OF the farmers raise
boas These farmers keep an average
of tea hogs per farm. Tennessee hogs
were valued at 100000 pre-war
nrices Since the increase in the mar
Ike. price of hogs and 4 general ac-
federation of the business during tne
war. If is thought that S15,0D0Oo Is
conservative estimate OF the Vaiue
of an average crop OF hogs on me
farms in Tennessee. Therefore few
farm items mean more towards Great
ing a prosperous condition In Tennes-
see than a normal crop Of hogs.
There is now distinct shortage Oh
hogs in the United States. This snort
age is not less than 10 per cent, While
in some states the reduction is fully
one-half. In certain sections the ST.
nation is even more acute, in thar ell
fire communities in Tennessee are
without any hogs for market purposes.
Tennessee has about One-third OF a
crop of brood sows and probably 6c
per cent of Il normal crop Of hogs.
Bio Shortage Of Hogs
A very recent survey made by the
United States Department OF Agrlcul-
ture shows that on September l. there
were 56.534,0OO stock hogs on the
farms of this country against 62,UIS,-
900 on the same date a year ago. =
shortage Of six and one-half million
hogs will in all probability influence
tbr market considerably and may D.
an important factor in determing the
price of corn.
While our acreage OF corn Is less
than usual, it is the common Deliet
that the country will harvest an enor-
mons corn crop. There has been
reimbursement going ON for some time
between the price Of hogs ana the
the nrice of corn. This adjustment
generally settles down to where IL ana
70 bushels of corn will equal lVU
hounds of live pork. OF course there
will be variations, but this relationship
over a period of years is very certain.
The hog business offers the surest
money on the farm, but the farmer
must stay by it 1865 days in the year.
To do otherwise increases the hazard
ness Of the business.
Must Raise Pigs cheaply.
The hog raisers Of Tennessee woallc
know why we are not producing more
hogs. First, we fail to raise pigs
cheaply. The first 100 pounds may
! determine our profits, as we'll as the
| last 80 pounds If we were as carefnl
in the raising of pigs economically as
we are in the finishing of hogs at IL
profit we would secure better returns.
! Second, pigs must be raised on legume
and corn, er,meal meal end corn ration
and not on a strictly coEn ration. SIX
hounds of corn alone may produce one
Mound of pork, while four pounds OF
corn may produce one pound or PORK
with clover or alfalfa. Third, forage
will most always result in saving OF
not less than 10 to Is per cent OF the
corn. This combination will produce
economically the first 100 pounds
and the last one hundred pounds Will
reduce the cost from ITO to 1-16 per
cent. The greatest returns In hos
feeding are secured when grain and
forage are fed, forage at the rate Oh
9 tn 3 per cent of the live weight.
Economy in Feeding.
Fourth, it should be remembered, too
that a combination of grain feeds or q
combination Of forage or grazing crops
nroduce more economical gains than d
single feed of a single grazing crop
Fifth. immature corn In field ofter
causes sore teeth and causes hogs e.
lose instead of gain. When hogs are
tnrupd into large field without the
use of temporary cross-fenses or the
cutting down of corn as the hogs use
If, the loss in harvesting corn may run
rs high as 10 per cent, Pigs may be
used to consume the waste, out Pig
will not grow out to the best ration
on a corn ration. The hogging dowr
of corn with brood sows is equally IN
wise and rarely ever economical.
Watch the Markets.
II should be remembered that from
March to October hogs bring the bes
prices. the highest point usually Deins
reached in September. Sows shoul'
he bred SO that pigs may be narrowed
in March and April or September ant
October. The most economical gain
are made on hogs up to ITO TIL 2O'
pounds in Tennessee. Suceessfui no.
raising under new conditions Requires
considerable thought and management
Tennessee farmers should keep II
mind these facts:
l. II costs more ~ produce corn II
rho South than In the corn belt. Corr
will olways be higher here until we In
crease our yields.
.. It costs more to produce pork II
tbe South than In the North wner
corn Is the ration
y, That our success In the hog busi
ness depends upon the utilization o
cheaner feeds which our climate IS s.
we'll suited to produce. The farmer
VINO raise aud finish hogs on corr
ration complain Of the business DEM
Improbable.
Tennessee farmers will hot be able .
nf N