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- 
ning, 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 sufficient 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 
