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Assistance to Horse Breeding 



To overcome the handicap to horse breeding that exists in many sections because 

 of the lack of pure-bred sires, the government grants aid to clubs formed for the purpose 

 of hiring such animals. Last year a number of districts took advantage of the offer, 

 and from the appreciations already received, it is expected that a still larger number 

 will do so this year. 



For particulars regarding the above, write the Dominion Live Stock Commissioner, 

 Ottawa. 



THE SWINE INDUSTRY AND THE OPPORTUNITY 

 PRESENTED BY THE BRITISH MARKET 



PROF. G. E. DAY, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph. 



Economic Production — It would not be safe to advise all farmers to feed more 

 hogs. Every farmer must be his own judge in this matter, and some farmers should 

 probably not attempt to raise hogs, owing to the fact that either the man himself is 

 not adapted to the business, or his conditions are unsuitable. Nevertheless, it is true 

 that hogs might be kept profitably upon many farms where they do not find a place 

 to-day. The hog is especially valuable for consuming the by-products of the farm, 

 and the number of hogs carried to advantage on a farm is governed very largely by the 

 quantity and the character of the by-products to be consumed. When carried in 

 appropriate numbers, the hog is an exceptionally economical producer of meat, preventing 

 waste, and giving cash returns for substances that are frequently wasted, or which have 

 little market value. Trying to take advantage of fluctuating market prices by altern- 

 ately over-stocking and under-stocking with hogs, is seldom a financial success. The 

 man who consistently follows up the business upon conservative lines, is the man who 

 is well suited with the hog as a source of profit. 



Market Outlook — At the present time we are facing an abnormal condition of 

 affairs. Great Britain has, in the past, received large shipments of bacon from Denmark, 

 but the war has very seriously crippled this trade, and Britain has had to look elsewhere 

 for her supplies. As a result, we find that our exports of pork products have increased 

 very largely indeed during the past two years, and so long as the war continues it would 

 look as though prices for hogs are bound to keep at a high level. From the standpoint 

 both of patriotism and profit, it would seem the part of wisdom to extend, to some 

 extent at least, our production of hogs. While this advice is believed to be perfectly 

 sound, it must be distinctly understood that no farmer is urged to do any plunging in 

 regard to the matter. A farm that is distinctly over-stocked with any kind of animals, 

 can seldom be run at a profit, but there are very few farms in Ontario that are over- 

 stocked with hogs at the present time, and there are many farms where more hogs 

 could be fed to advantage. 



The Type in Demand — Experiments with breeds of swine demonstrate the fact 

 that breed and type have little or nothing to do with a hog's ability to make economical 

 use of food. A healthy, thrifty, growthy hog will make cheap gains no matter what 

 breed he belongs to, and no matter whether he is of a lard or bacon type. Though 

 breed and type have little or nothing to do with economy of production, the question of 

 type enters very largely into the very important question of marketing our hogs. A 

 glance at the prices commanded by hogs on Canadian and American markets should 

 convince us that there must be some radical distinction to bring about the difference in 

 price that presents itself. We have already stated that Britain's supplies from Denmark 

 have been greatly curtailed, and every person should know that the class of pork pro- 

 ducts furnished by Denmark are the products of what we call the bacon hog, namely — 

 Wiltshire sides. This being the case, Britain is naturally looking for a new source from 



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