White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-01-28
PORK PRICES ADVANCE;
OUTLOOK FOR GROWERS

Local dressed pork prices, which
languished three weeks ago, have
stiffened up perceptibly. At that time
dressed hogs sold at IL 1-2 cents a
pound Wholesale and less. Now the
ranehers bringing in carcasses are
getting from 10 IL cents to IA cents.
There is a like stiffening in the re-
tail price at the markets and the eff
feet is being felt in other meats. Beef
averages about a cent more than il
did at the time, both wholesale and
retail.
The hog business is one line of
stock growing that is capable OF great
development in eastern Nevada and
western Utah, according to ranchers
who have given it their attention. II
is classified as a branch of husbandry
particularly adapted to the needs of
people with light means or wishing
to start ranching on a %shoestring.
As compared with sheep the adj
swine species. A eve will bear usu-
ally one and not more than two lambs
in a year. A SOW will bear three lit
ters of pigs, often more than twenty,
and with ordinary care will average
ten each year.
In favor OF the lamb there is but
slight advantage on account of its
fleece, for lambs marketed in seven
or eight months are not shorn and
their pelts are classed as short wool.
bringing but half price. The value
of a lambs pelt runs in different
years from % cents to 40 cents.
Well-fed pigs are marketable in
four to six months, many of them
sooner. Six months pigs should
weigh from 1870 to 140 pounds. TAX
ing the smaller of these figures and
using the present wholesale carcass
price. each would bring $500 gross.
or 1852 for the product of one sow.
The raising of hogs is a simple
matter In this neck of the woods.
They are not forced to as great cize
as in corn or better grain countries.
but they are pastured and allowed
where it can be done to run at large.
A meadow ranch with plenty of
grass. alfalfa preferred, may be en-
closed at slight expense by the growth
OF willows, making a hog-tight fence.
The hogs are grazed there and in
one respect 1t is an ideal arrange
ment for them. for hogs in field or
pasture, with plenty of water and
room, are seldom IL ever known to
have cholera. They receive the cor
rect amount of forage with whatever
other food may be given them and do
not suffer or die from being too fat
in the hot months of midsummer. The
willows afford shelter from heat in
summer and have an important part
in protecting them from cold in win
ter. Shelter for a hog is vital. but
1t is moi an obstacle here, where II
is to be had by a minimum outlay end
effort
Finishing them for market here
entails feeding such grain as is to he
grown locally, with potatoes or any
roots obtainable, for not more than
six weeks. Pigs may be fairly fat
on alfalfa. but the grain is a necessity
to take a certain amount OF fishy
taste from the meat. which taste may
be present on alfalfa feed even
though the pig never saw a fish.
The recent low market price was
lower than IL bad previously been
since the prewa0 days, yet at prevail
ing prices it is admitted that there
is a handsome profit for the grower.
Good money has been made in hogs
in past years at 4 cents a pound live
weight. They are profitable now at
3 cents live weight or IL cents to -
cents dressed.
There is less loss in dressing a hog
than in any other food animal. 1t
depends on the feed. but the average
ones lose but one-third in dressing.
A reliable marketman informs the
White Pine News that with field peas
as food he has seen carcasses with
two or three inches of fat on them
and a loss of only 30 per cent in
dressing.
Admittedly there is a limit TO the
local demand for pork, but with a re-
opening of the mines and enlarge
ment OF smelter operations II. is
thought that 1t will keep pace with
the supply for at least a few years.