226 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



the buyer and better prices than mixed 

 lots. There is no discrimination by the 

 buyers as regards white and black hogs, 

 but both of these are given the prefer- 

 ence over red hogs, though the differ- 

 ence is very slight, and often is nothing. 



Medium sized hogs preferred — The 

 markets demand and pay the best price 

 for moderately fat hogs, six to 12 months 

 old, weighing from 180 to 320 pounds. 

 The Berkshire and Poland-China breeds 

 seem to meet best the demands of the 

 packers, though breed is not a' point 

 of importance so long as the form and 

 weight of the hogs is satisfactory. Very 

 fat hogs, 300 to 500 pounds, bring top 

 prices when lard is selling high, other- 

 wise lower weight hogs are given the 

 preference. 



There is no special demand for bacon 

 breeds of hogs. Bacon is produced in 

 large quantities but it is obtained from 

 the smaller types of lard hogs, princi- 

 pally the Berkshire. 



The prices paid for the different 

 classes of hogs are shown in the follow- 

 ing quotations taken from the Chicago 

 Daily Drovers' Journal in 1907: 



Hogs: 



Common to fair mixed packing.$6. 90 to $7.00 



Good mixed, 210 to 240 lbs... 7.00 to 7.02 



Fair to choice medium weights 7.00 to 7.05 



Fair to fancy selected butchers 7.02 to 7.10 

 Bulk of packing hogs, 270 



to 300 lbs 7.00 to 7.05 



Shipping grades 7.02 to 7.10 



Rough heavy packing, odd lots 6.85 to 6-90 



Poor to good heavy packing. 6.95 to 7.02 



Fair to fancy heavy shipping. 7.02 to 7.10 

 Common to choice light 



bacon 6.85 to 7.00 



Fancy selected light shipping. 7.00 to 7.05 



Mixed pigs, 110 lbs and under 5.80 to 6.25 



Stags, according to weight... 5.75 to 6.70 



Boars, according to weight... 2.00 to 4.00 



Government throw-outs 2.00 to 5.00 



All stock papers regularly quote the 

 market price of the different grades of 

 hogs in the chief markets. The terms 

 used in the quotations are largely self- 

 explanatory. All these terms are de- 

 fined in the chapter on Swine. 



Dockage in prices for hogs — Sows far 

 enough advanced in pig to be noticeable 

 are docked in price. Usually the meat 

 is considered wholesome up to 60 or 70 

 days after sows are with pig, nevertheless 

 the meat is not so good and there is a 

 heavy shrinkage. When sows are far 

 enough along to be docked they should 

 be kept off the market. Sows too far 

 along are condemned by the inspectors 

 and sold in a separate class, for what 

 they will bring. It is usually a money- 



losing scheme to breed sows with a view 

 to fattening them for market. The 

 dockage for pregnant sows usually 

 amounts to 20 to 40 pounds in weight, 

 or the price may be 75 cents to $1 less 

 a hundredweight. Spayed sows are pre- 

 ferred to open sows of the same class 

 as the bellies of the latter show more or 

 less seed in dressing, which is not as 

 marketable as seedless bellies. Stags are 

 docked even heavier than sows, usually 

 $1 to $1.50 per hundredweight. 



Marketing sheep—Mutton breeds are 

 generally marketed as lambs or yearlings. 

 Where both wool and mutton is sought, 

 they may be marketed at a later stage, 

 and, of course, the older sheep are al- 

 ways sent to market when they have 

 passed their usefulness as breeders. 

 When sheep are grown primarily for 

 wool they are marketed as mature sheep. 

 In the east a grower will usually have 

 both lambs and a part of his old sheep to 

 sell each year. The careful sheepman 

 culls over his flock annually and sells 

 all old sheep and non-breeders. 



Classify in shipping — In shipping to 

 market, sheep should be graded, the 

 lambs being put in separate cars or com- 

 partments from the older sheep. The 

 highest price for lambs is usually ob- 

 tained during the months of February 

 to July. Buyers are always glad to see a 

 good many black or dark colored noses 

 in the flock, as it indicates mutton blood. 

 The lots that top the market usually are 

 in prime condition, and weigh between 

 90 to 110 pounds each. No special 

 preparation is required in shipping. 



Preparation and loading of sheep — 

 It is usually more profitable to sell lambs 

 under one year of age than to feed them 

 to a later stage, unless an abundance of 

 cheap feed is available. Sheep for ship- 

 ment should be fed as usual and loaded 

 with as little excitement as possible. 

 Car floors should be well covered with 

 good, clean hay. 



Shearing before shipping — When 

 heavily wooled, fat sheep are sent to 

 market, it is generally more profitable to 

 shear them and sell the wool separately 

 than to sell sheep and wool together. 

 Pelt buyers make a slight difference in 

 price, as between pelts with light and 

 heavy fleeces, but not stiff cient to justi- 

 fy the sale of heavy-wooled sheep un- 

 shorn. The usual difference in price 

 during the spring months, between 

 wooled and shorn sheep, averaged be- 

 tween 75 cents and $1 a 100 pounds. 



