South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-18
REDUCE COST OF
PIGS And GET
LARGER PROFITS
Proper Housing and Feeding
Are Vital Things to Con-
slider at the Start.
BY /. }. MATTHEWS
IuIaSkf County Aorfe1tTtuF-aI Agor

BY I. J. MATTHEWS,
Uulaski County Agricultural Agent.
Why do farmers continue TO pro-
duce hogs the most expensive way
Frankly, I do not know but every
year we see so many pigs raised the
most expensive way that we have
called in experienced hog men TO
point out ways of decreasing grow
ing costs on the pigs that will De
farrowed this spring. Make no mis-
take about this; neither the writer,
nor anyone else acquainted with the
market conditions az this time IS
urging anyone 10 increase the num-
Der Of brood sOws. on the contrary
there is every indication that some
Of the spread between corn and hogs
will be greatly reduced next fall
The problem of the grower is two
fold. that Of marketing TO the best
advantage ard cheapening the cost
Of production. The marketing ma
chinery we have, the cooperative
shipping associations, is designed 70
give the grower the highest net re-
turns from what his stuff actually
brings on the market. on the other
hand, each grower Will reap as much
profit and on some farms much
more from economiec ne can bring
about right on his own farm.
Cheap Pasture Keynote
OF course, corn is the main stand
by for hog feeders in the corn belt
After corn, the best method Of
cheapening cost Of production in the
feed line is by way of pasture. Given
good pasture, the grower can avoid
buying so much tankage: he can
raise much OF the necessary protein
and have it at cost which has a
material bearing on the ultimate
cost Of each finished hog And we
are inclined 20 believe that good
pasture will play a bigger part this
year than it has for the past four
or five years. because the wise one
Will feed his pigs right along through
the summer and fit them for the late
August or early September market.
How Pastures Rank.
Ranked in the order of their i'm
portance for hogs, pasture crops are
as follows Alfalfa; Dwarf
Essex Rape; Slower; Sweet
acreage Of alfalfa Is insufficient for
the purpose and the same with our
acreage Of clover. For our average
hog grower. the best plan lies in
planting a mixture Of Dwarf Essex
rape and oats. during the last week
in March or the first week in April.
1t is better to drill the rape if it is
planted alone. A man Will be able
to turn onto this the first day OF
July. For later pasture. a mixture
of soy beans and Sudan grass best
fits our conditions. The usual plan
is to use one bushel Of SOY beans and
20 pounds of Sudan grass seed. Sow
these the first or second week in
May For an annual pasture, there
are the two best combinations for
Pulaski county. As Charlie Zeilers
says, alfalfa is the clear quill. Go
on the alfalfa tour this year and
learn how TO grow alfalfa on your
farm.
The number OF pigs a SOW farrows
doesn't cut a bit Of ice in reducing
pig costs; it's what she raises that
counts Here are some actual fig
ures taken from cost accounts kept
on a number Of Indiana farms
Where pigs raised per SOW averaged
from 10 3. when they were six
weeks old they had cost $3.S9 each
but where filters ran from 10 9
pigs. each pig cost S2.51 at six weeks
OF age. Here is a difference In cost
Of $1.3S per pig, depending entirely
upon the size of the litter. With a
total of 100 pigs, this means a handi-
cap Of S13S 10 start with If the sows
save but a few Of the pigs narrowed.
The management the owner gives his
/ brood sows is almost entirely re
sponsible for the size Of litter raised
Plan on Permanent Basis.
I can name 100 farmers right off
the bat who have fooled along with
poor houses for the brood sows with
the result that during the last five
years, they have lost enough pigs
TO pay for good houses and they
! haven't any at that With things
settling down 20 a more normal
/ basis. the young or middle aged
/ farmer makes a mistake when ne
does not plan for reasonably good
equipment. Not necessarily expens-
/ i've but embOdying the correct prin-
ciples: two or three colony brooder
/ houses built right; a hog house that
/ is built according 20 approved plans.