328 TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



much stagginess, they go in with the various grades of packing 

 hogs. When they are too coarse and staggy in appearance 

 they are sold in the same class as boars. 



Boars. 



Boars are always sold in a class by themselves and bring 

 a much lower price than the best hogs on the market at the same 

 time. They sell without dockage. The pork is used to supply 

 the cheaper class of trade and also for making sausage. Boars 

 are not usually marketed until their days of breeding service 

 are over and they are old and coarse. Many of them are con- 

 demned by government inspectors because of sexual odor. They 

 then bring only fertilizer price. 



Feeding Pigs. 



During the last few years the prevention of hog cholera 

 by means of the serum treatment has made possible the rapidly 

 growing practice of buying feeder pigs at the large markets. 

 Chicago sent practically no hogs back to farms prior to 1917, 

 but in that year shipped 45,448 feeder hogs, and in 1918 shipped 

 24,450. Sioux City shipped 7,715 in 1916, 108,941 in 1917, and 

 41,004 in 1918. Kansas City shipped 18,183 in 1917, and 174,929 

 in 1918. St. Paul is the leading feeder hog market with 22,576 

 in 1916, 231,631 in 1917, and 172,569 in 1918. Thirteen leading 

 markets sent out 139,161 head in 1916, 708,416 in 1917, and 

 774,011 in 1918. Previously , the purchase of pigs at the mar- 

 kets for feeding purposes was a dangerous practice and was not 

 often attempted. They are now given the preventative treat- 

 ment for cholera before leaving the market. It is necessary 

 that pigs leaving the Chicago yards shall be inspected for disease 

 by government officials, shall be given the single serum treat- 

 ment, and shall be dipped. The charge for these services usually 

 amounts to about $1.50 per cwt. The commission charge for 

 buying hogs weighing on an average of over 140 pounds per 

 head is $10 per car, either single or double deck; hogs averaging 

 140 pounds or less, $15 per car. 



Feeder pigs weigh from 50 to 150 pounds, with weights 

 from 90 to 120 pounds most desired, and must be in thrifty, 

 growing condition, but not fat. They should show quality and 

 evidence of good breeding, and should be as uniform as possible 

 in size and appearance. 



