The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-02-26
MONTANA'S HOG
INDUSTRY GROWS

(FrOm the Montana State COIlege).
n rONTANA does not yet rank with
AU the more important hog produc-
4v4 ing states of the corn belt but it
is assuming a place Of Importance in
the IL western states, according to
R. L. Waddell. livestock specialist for
the Montana Extension Service. The
latest government nsu figures
show that the Treasure State has
more hogs than the states of Wyom-
ing, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and
Nevada combined. While there was
no gain in the number of hogs in the
state in 1925, the number reported
on January ] of both years being
28O, 900, among western states
Montana is exceeded only by Cali
fornia and Colorado in hog prOduc-
ton at the present time. The hogs Of
the state are valued at more than
four million dollars, slightly less
than a million dollars more than in
1924, due to the increase in value
during the past year.
Montana's growing hog industry is
further reflected in the increased ex-
ports, a y Mr. Waddell. In 1920
Montana had 10000 head of hogs
and 41,OOO were exported to Out-of-
the-state markets during that year.
Last year, with a hog population of
100000, markets outside Of the
state received 225,OOO head of Mon
tana hogs. In 1910 Montana had
but $4,000 head of hogs and most of
these were sold on local markets.
A survey of the hog situation in
the United States made recently by
the United States Department of Ag-
riculture leads to a rather we'll sub
stantiated probability that hog pro-
ducers will have a favorable year in
1926, says the livestock specialist.
For the country as a whole, there is
approximately II per cent fewer fall
| pigs than a year ago. The indications
are that there will be an increase OF
approximately II per cent in number
of sOws narrowing in the spring ov-
er the spring of 1925, but since the
number of hogs in the country is
down to the lowest pOint/it has beer
in years, this increase is not expect
ed to affect the prices to any great
extent.
The situation for the coming veal
r in Montana also looks favorable. Ap
5 proximately so per cent of the hogs
z, sold out of the state last year wen.
to markets on the west coast. FOl
this reason, Mr.. Waddell points out
the situation in the IL western, states
which r chiefly concerned with sup
plying these markets is important. II
every western state except Montan;
the number of hogs dropped off dur
ing 1925. The total for the II states
| on January 1, 1925 was 2~,323,OOO
on January 1, 1926 the total was 2,
O56,0O0. In Montana the numbel
= remained the same for both dates.
Fall narrowing in the western
states dropped off more than II pc
} cent over the fall of 1925 and tn
= total number of fall pigs is approxim
ately eight per cent less than a yea
ago. For spring narrowing the indica
tiOns are that there will be an in
crease of approximately Is per cent
On the strength of the facts am
figures available, Mr.. Waddell be
lieves that western markets will read
5 lily absorb the hogs produced in tn
western states in 1925, and the re
. turns will be favorable to the prOduC
er. He points out also. that from
study of the more or less regular cy
cles which characterize the hog in
Il dustry in this country, a material in
Il crease in production and a gradua
} lowering of the prices may be ez
/ pected in 1927.