Show KEEP BROOD SOWS Animals Are Foundation of the Nations Nation's Pork Supply STOCKS ARE BEING DEPLETED Situation Already Is Critical and Threatens to Worse If Country Continues to Be Drained I of Its Meat Stocks Prepared by the United States Department Department Department Depart Depart- ment of or Agriculture Dont Don't sell the brood sows They ire ire tre the foundation of the nations nation's pork supply supply already already too short With hogs above 18 cents a pound the breeder may be tempted to turn into cash all he can sell But the value of a brood sow which can cnn produce such high high- priced offspring is s proportionally In In- creased Keep her as a source of further further further fur fur- ther and future profits Since the beginning of the war the number Dumber of swine In all countries has decreased and the decrease has been marked In some of the belligerent countries In France for example Inthe In Inthe the Hie three years just before January 1 1917 the number of swine decreased per cent during 1915 the number number num num- ber bel in Germany decreased num-I num per cent Situation Critical Breeding stocks are being depleted The situation Is already critical and threatens to become ve very serious If the countr country continues to be drained of Its meats Hogs furnish meat ment more quickly quick quick- ly and cheaply than other stock can the meat ment shortage therefore can most readily be met by swine production Ft rt has been calculated that the possible Increase from one sow Is 1002 pigs in four years ears on the supposition that all litters consist of six pigs that all live that half are arc females and that each gilt should farrow at one year rear and every six months thereafter Cut Feeding Expense Another cause of the depletion of breeding stocks is probably In the high cost of feeds While concentrated feeds have gone up some of the expense expense expense ex ex- pense of carrying breeding stocks onay lIDay ay be cut down by the use of green fall forage orage crops pasture alfalfa or clover hay Brood sows may be maintained in fair condition at comparatively littie little little lit lit- I tle tie expense by the use of such feeds By sowing so In the corn or as a cover op j-op op on land which h is likely to wash sowing rowing rape or planting a root crop the test cost of wintering sows may be re re- In brief the department of agriculture strongly recommends a campaign to save the sows as one me means means of helping to meet the threatened threatened threatened threat threat- ened meat shortage |