Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-06-05
The Soft Pork Situation

At the present time soft pork is dis
eliminated against in al of our pack
ing plants and consuming centers.
Apparently, we are producing more
of it in the south than elsewhere.
The great questions at issue, there
fore, are the discovery of the causes
of soft pork and an adequate and
profitable means of correcting this
condition. 1t is an open question as
affecting the production of soft pork.
Possibly the personal equation In
the grading of this article is exer-
cising an influence greater than we
may realize, and then, of course,
there is the economic side of this
question which must not be over
looked. 1t is possible under certain
conditions that we might produce
soft pork and take the cut which is
now accorded it and still raise pigs
more cheaply than if we attempted to
grow and feed those crops which as
suredly will result in the finishing
out of animals that will kill hard.
Certainly this problem is one of uni
versal concern, and, in the present
state of our knowledge, it surely
needs to be investigated very fully
and carefully so that we may arrive
at definite conclusions as soon as
possible and be enabled to advise
our growers and prevent the eco
nomic losses continuing which we
are now suffering.
Such investigation as has been
made up to the present time would
classes of pork being produced in
the south. These would be rated as
hard, or firm, medium hard and soft,
or oily. A hard pork is that which
under a standard of firmneSs based
on 100 per cent has melting point
80 E-4 - 1xyix 4111r
1904 degrees Fahrenheit. Medium
hard pork is that which has melt
ing point of the body fat of approx
mately GA degrees to 1904 degrees
Fahrenheit and soft, or oily pork
would be that grade which shows
proximateIy Ola degrees Fahrenheit
or below. Hard or firm pork is de-
rived largely from hogs fed on corn
or corn and a supplementary con-
centrate that does not materially
change the character Of the body
fat. In other, words, the iodine mum
Der does not vary materially from
that of strictly corn-fed hogs. The
medium hard pork is softer to the
touch than the fats of the standard
or firm grades, and this is true even
after it has remained in a, cooler for
forty-eight hours at temperature
of from 1928 degrees Fahrenheit.
One can easily recognize these diff
ferent grades without much expert
ence or aid if he but have the OPP
portunity to come in contact with
them. The differences shown are so
marked as to be readily seen and APP
preciated. The soft. or oily pork,
even when kept in a refrigerator for
forty-eight hours at temperature
of from 32-33 degrees Fahrenheit. is
still soft, f1abby and oily to the touch
and apparently without firmness or
texture.
question came to public notice that
feed is the chief factor in causing
pork to be soft. This trouble in
the south has been attributed pri-
marily to the use of peanuts. 1t is
a question whether this conclusion
is absolutely correct and whether
there may not be other influences 1
into this proposition which
should be carefully considered. 1t
is the consensus of opinion that soft
pork is also produced to greater
or less degree where soy beans, rice
bran and mast constitute the ch1eI
food of the animals concerned. 1T
is now felt by those who have in
vestigated the situation that peanut
meal does not exert soften1ng in
fluence on meat when fed in rea-
sonable proportion with corn or the
grain yielding sorghums. This is
very gratifying information, for from
an economic point of view, peanuts
should always be harvested and SOLD
to the crushing mills. The oil should
then be extracted from them and
made into human food. In this re-
spect it ranks very high, being equal
in quality, flavor and other charac-
teristics to the best olive oil. After
the oil is extracted the peanut meal
is very valuable apparently as q hog
food. It's desirability for this pur-
pose has been greatly enhanced over
the peanut in its natural state. II
then we combined peanut meal with
corn or grain derived from sorghum.
we probably have found solution
Of the soft pork problem which VII
enable us to overcome the great eco
nomic losses we are suffering IN
this direction at the present time time
1t will take little different meth
cd of farm practice, but certainly
we can increase our annual OUT
turn of corn. Our climate is ad-
adapted to the growth of
the grain yielding sorghums. These
are mostly of the nonsaccharine va
rieties. They do we'll in our climate,
withstanding drouth remarkably well.
We can secure very considerable
yields of grain per acre from the cul-
tivation of these crops. They yield
q forage of some value as we'll
Hence, it seems that we should en-
phasize the production of the grain
yielding sorghums more particularly
in the future than eve have done
in the past
1t is certain that we can harden
meat quite successfully through the
greater employment of tankage and
shorts in the ration now fed. 1t
will be argued that these foods are
very expensive, but their use will re-
suit in an economic gain to- the farm
er as compared with the loss he is
now suffering in the cut on animals
producing soft pork when sold in
the open market.
There is another hardening ma
terial of extra superior value to the
southern farmer, and that is cot
tonseed meal If fed without discre-
long a period of time, it will almost
certainly result in the death of ev-
cry animal consuming it. 1t can be
seen, therefore, that it is danger
Gus food and it's use unwise. Most
people do not realize that if fed in
very small quantities. cotton seed
meal effects a decided Influence. on
the hardening of pork. Nor do they
realize that this small quantity may
be fed to animals on grazing crops
during considerable periods of time
with safety. 1t is considered that
one-SiXth of the ration may consist
of cottonseed meal for periods vary
ing from sixty to ninety days. This
is long enough period of time in
which to finish the average bunch
Of hogs for market. Use discretion,
care and consistency. in the feeding
of cottonseed meal Do not take
any chances with it, but remember
that under existing conditions 1T
promises to be a feed ed of fnI value tn In In
The length of time neces-
sary to harden soft pork varies ma
terially, and further Investigations
are needed on this point.
The foregoing suggestions arc
worthy of the careful consideration
of every swine raiser in the south.
If they are followed out on. the basis
they should enable US to
secure some relief from the undesir-
able economic conditions by. which
our hog raisers are now confronted.
The Southern Agricultural Workers
Committee on soft pork invest1ga-
lions recently met and formulated
the following program of work