and were carried on shorts and skim milk for the first 30 days, after which they were 

 fed a three per cent, ration of ground wheat until the conclusion of the experiment. In 

 figuring these costs, the following prices were used; shorts, $1.65 per 100 pounds, 

 ground wheat, $1.00 per 100 pounds; skim milk 20 cents per 100 pounds. The total 

 amount of grain consumed is shown in the table. If these prices vary from those pre- 

 vailing in any district, the necessary adjustments can be made in estimating cost in that 

 district. Taking all the pastures together, the average cost of gains for the period shown 

 is $3.54 per 100 pounds, while the cost of producing pork without pasture is $5.30, a 

 saving of $1.76 per 100 pounds. These figures do not include labour nor do they place 

 a value on pasture. The hogs were placed on pasture at the rate of 15 to the acre and 

 since this number was insufficient, particularly at the beginning of the test to keep the 

 pasture down, it is believed that an acre will average from 10 to 15 head according to 

 the class of pasture used for the entire season. If further experiments prove the hog 

 carrying power of different pastures to be within these limits, then the per acre return of 

 land that will carry from 10 to 15 hogs until they reach a weight of 200 pounds will 

 compare favourably with the return from any other farm crop. Surely such a saving in 

 the grain cost of pork production should be an inducement for farmers to use pasture 

 more freely in the production of pork in 1916, and to increase in future the number of 

 hogs kept. 



THE SWINE INDUSTRY IN QUEBEC 



H. Nagant, Editor, Journal of Agriculture. 



Out of the large revenue that Canada derives from the swine raising industry only 

 a small portion goes to the Province of Quebec. This is in spite of the fact that Montreal 

 is one of the most important markets for hog products in America. Its packing houses 

 are capable of handling 20,000 hogs per week. Quebec furnishes but a small proportion 

 of the required amount, most of the supplies coming from Western points. In dairying, 

 Quebec takes a leading place. With the by-products of cheese factories and creameries 

 available for the production of exactly the quality of hog the export trade requires, and 

 with a market of large capacity at its door for hogs on the hoof of the right type and 

 quality, it would appear that the industry is capable of great local development. With 

 the aid of the Federal funds provided by the Agricultural Instruction Act, active measures 

 are being taken at the present time by the province's department of agriculture to develop 

 the industry. / 



The main factors to consider in any attempt to develop hog raising in the province 

 may be briefly stated as follows: 



1. Improvement of type — The prevailing type of hogs has already improved a 

 great deal, but there still is a lot of improvement to be done. 



2. The number of pigs is on the increase in the province, but there are reasons to 

 think that a much larger quantity of these animals could be profitably reared and sent 

 to the trade. The splendid development of the dairy industry in Quebec, with the 

 quantity of by-products that are derived from it, make a magnificent basis for a pros- 

 perous swine industry. 



3. The great defect, at the present time, is the fact that too many light, thin and 

 poorly finished hogs are put on the market. A bacon hog should weigh from 175 to 

 225 pounds. 



4. Too many sows are sent to the market after their first litter. These sows will 

 never produce a first class meat. Farmers would get far more profit out of them if they 

 kept breeding them after the first or even the second litter. 



5. In order to get the best and most profitable markets, hogs must be sold on the 

 hoof, that is alive, instead of selling after slaughtering to^meet the limited local demand 

 for fresh pork as is the prevailing custom. 



106 



