IT'S going to pay to have hogs to sell 

 this year. 

 In 1935 Illinois farmers produced 

 approximately 48,236 decks of hogs for 

 market which had a value of $72,354,- 

 000. The value of the crop in 1936 may 

 be even greater. Hog prices are not 

 expected to remain at their present 

 level. But production is bound to be 

 increased and any decrease in prices 

 will probably be more than offset by 

 the larger number to be marketed. 



The general story within the live- 

 • stock industries is one of increasing 

 production, the Qtireau of Agricultural 

 Economics says. The number of fall 

 pigs in the Corn Belt is reported to be 

 about 40 per cent more than a year ago. 

 Reports as to intentions for spring far- 

 rowing indicate a 24 per cent increase 

 above last spring. While this would 

 still leave the 1936 spring pig crop 

 somewhat below the 1932-1933 aver- 

 age, it indicates the response of hog 

 growers to the stronger market and 

 easier feed situation. 



During most of February and all of 

 January severe winter weather with 

 sub-zero temperatures extending to all 

 sections of Illinois took a heavy toll 

 among early born pigs. The fact that 

 recent winters have been comparative- 

 ly mild led many farmers to breed for 

 early litters. Moreover few were well 

 prepared to protect January and 

 February pigs against extreme frigid 

 weather. So reports of 50 to 90 per 

 cent losses of February born pigs are 

 all too frequent. All of which indicates 

 a smaller spring crop to market next 

 fall and winter than otherwise would 

 be true, with possibly a greater number 

 of summer and fall pigs than normal. 



Prices About Same 



The average value of a 200 pound 

 hog on the Chicago market last year 

 was $18.54. That hog could have been 

 insured against cholera at 50 lbs. at an 

 expense of about 25c for serum and 

 virus. That is if the owner used Farm 

 Bureau serum and was a member of 

 his County Farm Bureau. Prices for 

 serum are expected to remain about 

 the same during the first half of the 

 year, that is, around 65c per 100 cc for 

 serum with virus at $1.65 per 100 cc. 



When protection against hog cholera 

 can be secured at such low cost, with 

 adequate supplies of serum and virus 

 always available at the nearest 

 Farm Bureau office, there is small rea- 

 son why any livestock producer should 

 suffer losses from hog cholera. There 

 is some excuse for loss due to non- 

 preventable diseases, or from extreme 

 cold. But when a man loses a year's 

 work from hog cholera, it is apt to be 

 just plain carelessness or the gambling 



U 



instinct expressing itself with familiar 

 results. None of these characteristics is 

 typical of the most able and successful 

 farm managers. 



While price is still the dominant fac- 

 tor in determining success or failure 

 with hogs, or any other farm crop for 

 that matter, price alone is no guaran- 

 tee of a profit. Efficiency and economy 

 in production, year in year out, are 

 what make the hog a mortgage lifter. 

 And disease control through swine 

 sanitation with immunization against 

 cholera go hand in hand with low cost 

 pork and maximum profits. 



The new soil conservation program 

 which recently passed the Congress 

 promises to benefit the hog producer. 

 The acreage in legumes and grasses 

 required by a reasonable conservation 

 plan will make not only clean hog pas- 

 ture but also a desirable location for 

 farrowing. Many livestock producers 

 who have neglected to provide an 

 abundance of legume pasture will find 

 it profitable to do so in more ways 

 than one. 



Benefits Hog Producer 



The long time effect of soil conserva- 

 tion in stopping or at least retarding 

 depletion of plant food, obviously ranks 

 first among the benefits of the pro- 

 gram. This means much to the future 

 of the nation. Good soil is our greatest 

 natural resource. Control of crop sur- 

 pluses by keeping acreages devoted to 

 cash crops within reasonable limits, of 

 course, looms large in importance. 



The use of alfalfa, sweet clover, and 

 other legumes in crop rotations to con- 

 trol swine diseases and parasites is 

 practiced everyw^here by good hog men. 

 And the well known influence of leg- 

 ume pasture in getting quick and cheap 

 gains in pork production needs no fur- 

 ther emphasis. So all in all, profitable 

 livestock production and profitable 

 farming, control of grain acreage, and 

 thereby pork, beef, lamb and milk pro- 

 duction, as well as maintenance of soil 

 fertility, are all counterparts of a good 

 soil conservation program. And the 

 good hog man will not neglect that nec- 

 essary link in the chain of efficient pro- 

 duction — immunization against cholera. 



Serum Use Up 



Despite the sharp reduction in hog 

 numbers last year, Illinois farmers 

 used more serum and virus than in 

 1934. Hogs were higher priced, hence 

 the increased interest in reducing 

 cholera losses. The member counties 

 purchased 22,351,525 cc of serum, but 

 used more than 25 *^ millions it is esti- 

 mated, because of unusually heavy 

 purchases late in 1934 before the price 

 change. 



The top ten counties in use of Farm 



Protect fi^Q 

 Pig Cr 



It's Going to Pay* , 



Sell This Year. T, , 



he / 



of a 200 lb. Hog a ^^ 

 Was $18.54. For oc 



sure a 50 lb. Pig . 



^ Age 



with Farm B 



urea 







I. A. A. RECORD 



....—^ '>/ 



