| Show Save More Pigs to Reduce Cost 1 Success of Hog Raising Depends Depends Depends De De- De- De on Getting Y Youngsters Youngsters Young Young- oung- oung to Weaning Period Prepared by the United States Department x of or Agriculture There Is apparently greater opportunity opportunity to make a saving on the tile cost of producing pork by Increasing the number Dumber of ot pigs weaned per sow than there Is by Improvement In some other phases of the production hog-production process This Is Indicated in a study recently completed by the Department nt of ot Agriculture Agriculture Agri Agri- culture of ot the cost of ot producing hogs In En 1021 1921 and 1022 In Indiana Illinois and Iowa Most farmers know that much of the success of their hog raising operations opera opera- depends on the way In which the bring young pigs through the suckling period Apparently however how ever many have hae not understood the tile degree to which this part of the work surpasses other parts In relative c Im im- im Usually hog raisers are better bet ter ler at nt feeding out stuff sture than they ore are oreIn oreIn In handling brood sows Improved management of ot brood sows says the Department of Agriculture offers big chances for Increased rewards Variation In Cost Information obtained In regard to the he spring pig crop on about 1 O corn belt elt farms In 1922 1022 showed that the number of sows farrowing pigs was only ab about ut 86 SO per cent of the number actually bred Wide variation also I existed In the cost of production per pIg Ig at weaning time on the farms rals- rals Lug Ini the lowest number of ot pigs perlow per pcr lOW tow and the cost on the farms rals- rals Ing ng the largest number Thus In 1922 1022 he the cost per pig at the age of ten weeks on the farms where fewer than four our pigs were raised per sow was whereas on farms weaning from iLs Ir to eight pigs per sow the cost per pig was only The cost of producing reducing pounds of pork on those farms arms weaning less Jess t than an four pigs pig's per sow BOW was compared with only on farms weaning from six to eight per sow These wide ride variations of cost are emphasized when the profits are expressed expressed expressed ex ex- ex- ex exI I pressed In terms of ot return per bushel of f corn fed to hogs In central Iowa the he most efficient one fourth of the averaged 93 03 03 cents a n bushel from Crom rom feeding corn to hogs The least efficient one-fourth one of the farmers received re- re elved only 89 39 cents a bushel for the theorn corn orn fed to toI I hogs One half of the farmers between these extremes av av- raged 63 cents return per bushel of corn In Indiana during the same year the return per bushel was br tor the best farmers and 48 cents f forUe for r he Ue least efficient Cause of Pig Losses The following table shows causes of pg lg losses between farrowing and weaning In per cent of pigs farrowed it t covers the farms Included Inthe in inthe the he study Per Cent of ot Pigs Farrowed Overlaid 1515 Farrowed dead dead 65 G Farrowed weak Starved blind teats and other causes Chilled 2 G sore mouths moutas 84 84 Eaten by sows 64 Scours Cholera 71 Miscellaneous Total It Is evident sa says s 's the department that hat some of the pigs lost might have haye been een saved with proper care and management Proof that there Is room oom for Improvement In this respect respects Is s shown by a comparison between the member of pigs saved on the 25 percent percent per cent ent of farms which were the least efficient In this matter and the number saved saved aved on the 25 per cent which were the tie most efficient In eastern Iowa and nd western Illinois In 1922 1022 on 25 percent percent per cent ent of the farms saving saing the least lIttIe litle lit lit- tIe le pigs only 48 out of every everyone one hun- hun tired dred red f were alive at weaning time Ime Among the the 25 ir er ce cent t of the farms arms saving the largest number of little Ittle pigs there there- were l 00 90 weaned out of f every one hundred farrowed Tills This is s f further emphasized by the varla- varla tion flon lon which existed In the number of ot pIgs pigs weaned per s sow saw w. w In eastern Iowa Iova and nd western Illinois In 1022 1922 the least efficient group roup of farms raised from two wo to four four pigs per sow The most efficient farms farms- raised from six ta tor eight pigs per sow A similar variation Is sho shown hown for the other states In the tho study tudy Spring pigs raised to weaning time ox on 13 farms in fri 1921 1021 cost per pig compared with a cost of ot for fall pigs In 1022 on 18 IS farms spring pigs had lad cost per head at weaning date and fall pigs 3 each Pork per pounds from fall pigs however however how how- ever cost more than from spring pigs Usually the price revel at the time fall pigs are sold Is higher than at nt the time Irne spring pigs are sold Fall pigs therefore If w well n taken care of during the he winter may be as profitable as spring pigs Management of Herd Management ment of the breeding herd Is the first step In the production of pork and tins has a determining Influence on the tile profits of hog raising Feeding methods care housing and exercise have a great effect on the number of pIgs raised Many farmers figuring that some sows will lose out breedmore breedmore breed breedmore more sows than the they expect to far far- arlow ar- ar row low Improved handling methods showed result In lessening the required required re re- me- me number humber of sows to be bred Corthe for Cor forthe forthe the number of pigs desired This besides he be sides tlde being more economical would have ha the additional advantage nd of ot Improving Improving Im Ira- proving the size and strength of ot the tho Utters produced |
