5 * BULLETIN 1381, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
weaned. Fall pigs should be farrowed before October 1, if they are 
to winter in good condition. By feeding a good ration and providing 
_ warm, dry sleeping quarters, many farmers succeed in raising thrifty 
fall pigs. The fall pigs may be full fed and sold at light weight in 
April and May or they may be put on pasture about April 1 and sold 
during the summer. The weight to which the fall pigs are fattened 
is usually determined by the supply of corn on hand in the spring, 
the price of corn in its relationship to hog prices, and the rine at of 
spring pigs saved. 
METHODS OF CONDUCTING STUDY 
METHODS OF GATHERING DATA 
The cost data in this study were gathered by the route method. 
Visits to each farm were made by a field man once every three weeks. 
The farmers cooperating in the work kept a daily record of changes 
in the rations fed to the hogs and the amount of time spent on the 
hogs, as well as complete farrowing, death, and sale records. The 
study was begun in the fall of 1920. The accounts were opened 
when the producer selected his breeding herd for the spring pigs of 
1921. The feed and other items of cost were summarized monthly. 
Separate accounts were kept of the breeding herd and the spring and 
f il pigs after weaning time. The feed cost of the pete herd 
includes the feed consumed by the boars, the sows, and their litters 
until weaning. The pigs are charged with all items of cost expended 
on them from the time of weaning until their death, sale, or selection 
for the breeding herd. Stocker pigs were sometimes sold, which 
accounts for the light-weight groups. In general, the accounting 
period is from the time of breeding until the offspring is sold. 
MARKETABLE AND TOTAL PORK DEFINED 
The loss of pigs after weaning is of considerable magnitude. These 
pigs represent what would have been marketable pork. The weight 
of the pigs sold, butchered for home use, and retained for the breed- 
ing herd, as well as the increase in weight of the breeding herd, is 
the marketable pork produced. The total weight of hogs produced 
is the sum of the marketable and unmarketable pork. The dis- 
tinction is illustrated in the following summary of pounds produced: 
Pounds 
Increase in weight of breeding herd_____.-_-_----+------ 1, 000 
Weight of pigs sold: ul 7 22 beso sre ec: en tg 30, 000 
Weight of gilts selected for breeding herd__-_--_--------- 2, 000 
Weight of pigs butchered for home use___--_--+--+--_--- 600 
Weient Of dead hogs. 2 Ses ee oi iy Grell AMS Be. hes Bis OL 1, 500 
Total pork :profuced yi.) sips pk Vines IG me 35, 100 
Unmarketable, pork, (dead hogs)... ban end anasi- oe seee-e 1, 500 
Marketable pork! =~) 37 ee ee ee 33, 600 
The distinction between marketable and total pork must be kept 
clearly in mind as the data are presented. In all tables when the 
cost of production is expressed in terms of value, the cost of 100 
pounds is based on the amount of marketable pork. When the cost 
of production is expressed in physical quantities of feed and labor, 
the unit requirements are based on the total pork produced. 
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