406 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



THE TESTIMONY OF SWINE BREEDERS IS PRESENTED. 



A beginner in the business of breeding registered swine propounds 

 the question as to whether it will pay to make exhibits at the fall fairs. 

 The views of breeders thoroughly qualified by experience to speak au- 

 thoritatively on the subject have been ascertained and are presented in 

 a symposium which follows: 



Wm. D. McTavish: If the beginner in the breeding of registered 

 swine intends to make this his life work I would say it does pay to show, 

 but if he is going into it only for a short time or while it pays well I 

 should say no. The state fair is a great educator for the young breeder 

 and although he may not win a prize, yet he will learn where he is weak 

 and if he is made of the right kind of stuff right here is where it will 

 pay. He will go home and set about improving his herd and not be con- 

 tent until he can win his share of the ribbons. Thus it often happens 

 that a breeder's defeat in the show ring does him good in the long run. 

 He finds out where he is, where some of his ideas are wrong and others 

 all right. The first thing he must learn is to come out of the show yard 

 as smiling as he goes in, whether defeated or victorious. It is a ve.y 

 difficult thing to do, and only a showman can do it at times, but you 

 must do it if you expect to attain any degree of success. 



The sales made should more than pay all expenses. Right here in 

 this matter of making sales is another important feature of ttie busi- 

 ness. Never denounce another man's stock in order to sell your own; 

 better by far lose patrons for the time being, for it will react against 

 you an hundred fold. If the other fellow's stock is not up in quality with 

 yours the public will notice it without your telling it. By observing these 

 suggestions the new beginner will make many friends among his fellow 

 exhibitors and visiting stockmen that will pay him well in after years. 

 You must show the public what you have to offer if you want its full con- 

 fidence and expect to realize good prices for your stock. If some one 

 else shows stock of your breeding it will answer the same purpose, but 

 this is out of the question with the beginner. 



Thomas Bennett: In regard to showing hogs I would say to every 

 young man going into the business, keep away from the fairs. I have 

 known several good clean young men ruined forever, morally, physically 

 and financially by attending the fairs with stock. It is a hard place for 

 men settled in their habits, much more so for young men. I followed it 

 for some years and know all about it. Shun it as you would a pest- 

 house. Besides, if a breeder of swine takes the circuit of the fairs nine 

 times out of ten he will come home with a diseased herd, and the 

 chances are that he will inoculate other herds with the stock he sells to 

 his customers. I have quit the show business for years because I could 

 not take the risk when handling as many hogs as I do. I know men who 

 make a business of showing hogs at the fairs (they are not breeders) 

 who ransack the country and buy the best they can find for show pur- 

 poses, and when they get through showing sell the herd to the slaugh- 

 terers — of course they sell some pigs but buy the most of them. 



