648 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The good feeder takes pride in seeing tlie animals respond to hi3 

 efforts as well as the benefits to his pocketbook. The hog gives the most 

 generous returns for the feed consumed of all farm animals. 



The man who feeds hogs has the satisfaction, if the feeding is properly 

 done, of getting from one-third to one-half more pounds of gain from a 

 bushel of corn than he can get out of either cattle or sheep, and these 

 are the three great meat producing animals of the farm. 



HOW TO PROFITABLY RAISE AND MARKET HOGS. 



C. M. MCDOUGAL, BEFORE OSCEOLA COUNTY FARMERS* INSTITUTE. 



Under present condition something beneficial might be said about 

 raising hogs at a profit, but should feed stuffs advance and hog products 

 decline in value, it would be a diffcult problem to work out. 



First, it is necessary to secure good foundation stock from one of the 

 distinct breeds. Occasionally we hear a farmer say he would rather have 

 a cross from the different breeds, but I doubt that this will pay out in the 

 long run. 



It sounds as ridiculous to me to hear of breeders saving their small- 

 est sows for breeding purposes, as it would for them to select the small- 

 est ears of corn for seed. I have had the best success from matured 

 stock; aged sows give more milk than young gilts. 



Not long since I heard a man remark that his hogs were getting 

 too much full blood. I think if more bone building mater- 

 ial and less corn be fed to young growing hogs it would be much more 

 satisfactory. Skimmed milk, oats, and good clover pasture with some 

 corn added will bring good results. Shorts and a little oil meal are good. 

 The best bunch of hogs I ever raised, and hogs that sold readily at the 

 sale, were fed a small amount of cooked wheat as soon as the pigs were 

 old enough to eat anything. I filled an old wash boiler partly full of water 

 on the cook stove every alternate evening and when hot enough to boil 

 turned in about one half bushel of wheat. After standing twelve hours 

 the wheat was swelled to double its original size, or would make a bushel 

 in bulk. I made two feeds of this for seventy-five pigs and fed it once 

 daily. The little fellows would pick up every grain. I arranged side 

 dishes where the old sows could not get to them. A little extra care at 

 this time will help very materially in raising hogs at a profit. I break ofC 

 the pigs tusks with a pair of small pinchers when they are but a few 

 days old. This prevents them from getting sore jaws and heads by fight- 

 ing while nursing. Bob tails are caused by the bedding getting damp; a 

 little tallow applied in time and the bedding made dry will help to pre- 

 vent the trouble. 



