374 Western Live-stock Management 



change to a surplus in two or three years' time. When 

 for any reason pigs are high in price a great many persons 

 are attracted to the business; accordingly they rush 

 in, buy large numbers, and thus increase the price, through 

 absorbing stock that would otherwise go to the market. 

 In about a year's time they have surplus stock to put 

 on the market, thus causing a decline in the price. They 

 then become discouraged because of the low price, and 

 sell out not only their surplus but their original breeding 

 animals. Much of this stock is not suited to market 

 requirements and tends further to demoralize the market 

 until those who have been in the business in a legitimate, 

 conservative way also suffer. These rapid changes are 

 facilitated by the fact that the feed used for hogs may 

 be readily put to other uses, while the cattle-man or 

 sheep-man must keep some stock to consume the grass. 



A better method is to buy only on a small scale at the 

 start, and gradually build up a herd. This avoids the 

 necessity of tying up a large amount of capital at the begin- 

 nmg, besides decreasing the danger of an over-supply 

 and the consequent lower price. The beginner will learn 

 as much about raising pigs as if he had a much larger 

 number, and is not likely to lose so many. Usually a 

 good time to buy is when the price is poor and the market 

 over-supplied. Choice stock can then be bought at a 

 low price and if young stock is purchased which will 

 not bring a crop of pigs too quickly, the market has time 

 to change before the increase is ready for market. 



NUMBER OF PIGS FOR THE FARM 



A sufEcient number of pigs should be kept to consume 

 the by-products which are suitable for pig-feed, with 

 only enough of the expensive concentrated feeds to 



