HOGS General Geographical Hog Centers.-Center of hog production in the United States in 1920: Latitude 38° 55', longitude 89° 55'; Hamel, Madison County, Ill., a few miles from St. Louis, Mo. Center of hog slaughter in the United States in 1920: Latitude 40° 52', longitude 87° 05'; near Collegeville, Jasper County, Ind., about 75 miles southeast of Chicago. Center of pork consumption in United States, 1920: Latitude 39° 14', longitude 87° 47'; Melrose, Clark County, Ill., a few miles west of Terre Haute, Ind. AMERICAN SWINE RECORD ASSOCIATIONS Berkshire.-American Berkshire Association. E. M. Christen, secretary, 510 East Monroe Street, Springfield, Ill. Kentucky Red Berkshire Association. secretary, Richmond, Ky. W. B. Turley, W. Big Black Pig.-American Large Black Pig Society. Ed O. C. F. F. Chester White Swine Record Association. Moore, secretary, Rochester, Ind. Duroc-Jersey.-American Duroc-Jersey Association. R. J. Evans, secretary, 817 Exchange Avenue, Chicago, Ill. National Duroc Record Association. J. R. Pfander, secretary, Peoria, Ill. Essex.-American Essex Swine Association. Mrs. J. J. Lighthall, secretary, 426 North Main Street, Bloomington, Ill. Hampshire.-The Hampshire Swine Record Association. American Mule-foot Hog Record Association. R. E. Pfeiffer, secretary, 1105 Wyandotte Building, Columbus, Ohio. Poland China.-American Poland China Record Association. George W. Davies, secretary, Union Stockyards, Chicago, Ill. National Poland China Record Association. C. J. Standard Poland China.-Standard Poland China Record American Spotted Poland China Record Association. Charles W. Slatten, secretary, Jamesport, Mo. Tamworth.Tamworth Swine Association. W. T. Barr, secretary-treasurer, Ames, Iowa. Yorkshire.-American Yorkshire Club. Harry G. Krum, secretary, 471 Fairview Inn, St. Paul, Minn. U. S. D. A.-10-1-26 Mineral Requirements. -Mineral substances in the diet of hogs are just as necessary as are the organic matters, protein, fat, and carbohydrates. All vegetable feeds contain certain amounts of sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and sulphur. Cereal grains, however, do not furnish them in sufficient quantities to satisfy the proper requirements for nutrition and growth. The most essential mineral substance for proper nutrition in hogs is ordinary salt (sodium chloride). Phosphates and carbonates ol lime and magnesium are needed for the development and solidity of bones if normal growth is to be obtained. Since the leaves of plants contain more ash than the seeds and stalks, hogs which are pastured procure much of the mineral matter re quired, but where pastures are limited or where dry-lot feeding is practiced supplemental mineral feeding is necessary. At the United States Experiment Farm, Beltsville, Md., the following mineral mixture is giving satisfactory results: Steamed bone meal Ground limestone or air-slaked lime-- Pounds 50 25 25 Very often wood ashes are available, and these may be Incorporated in the mineral mixture to advantage. Where wood ashes are added to the above mixture it may be used to the extent of one-third of the mixture by weight. A mineral mixture should be supplied to hogs in boxes or self-feeders, where it will remain dry and be available at all times. A small separate compartment in the self-feeder used for grain feeding is convenient for sup plying minerals. Rations Breeding Stock-Dry sows on pasture should be given a light supplemental feed of corn and middlings (shorts). Keep dry sows thin but in good vigor. Bred sows should be fed to produce a daily gain in weight from breeding to farrowing of 1⁄2 to 11⁄2 pounds. Middlings Tankage Mineral mixture } In separate compartments of a selffeeder. Feed alfalfa or other legume hay in racks, when not possible to keep sows on good pasturage. Corn should be hand-fed in necessary quantities to supplement the above feeds and obtain the amount of gains advised. Feeding during pregnancy should be liberal, but not so heavy as when the pigs are being suckled. A very fat sow produces pigs low in vitality, and she will be clumsy with them. A thin sow, on the other hand, can not nourish an average litter of pigs properly. During pregnancy the sow should receive feeds containing plenty of protein, mineral matter, and water. She should have comfortable quarters, be allowed plenty of room for exercise, and be kept free from lice, and worms. Her grain ration should be fed dry, and toward the close of the gestation period it may be advisable to feed some linseed meal or a small quantity of ground flaxseed. During the winter root crops are excellent to take the place of pasture and to furnish succulence. For three or four days before farrowing the sow's feed should be reduced somewhat. The sow should have no feed the first 24 hours after farrowing, but should be liberally supplied with warm water; then a thin slop of bran and middlings may be given. or For three or four days the feeding should be light, and full feed should not be given for a week 10 days. U. S. D. A.-10-1-26 If the pigs scour, the sow is being overfed. If this trouble appears discontinue feeding the slop to the sow, and give a small quantity of oats scattered thinly on the floor. Dissolve a piece of rock lime slightly smaller than a baseball in a gallon of water; drain the water off the slaked lime and give it to the sow to drink; also bathe the sow's udder and teats with the limewater. In addition give the pigs (on the tongue) 1 drop of formalin solution prepared by mixing 1 ounce of standard-strength formalin and 1 pint of water. Also, the sow's teats may be washed once or twice daily with a solution of forma lin prepared by adding 1 ounce of this mixture to a sec ond pint of water. Young boars selected for the breeding, herd should be carefully fed during the growing period. Supply good pasturage or legume hay in racks with available water supply. Hand feed a mixture similar to the following to keep them in good flesh, but do not permit them to become fat: Mature boars between breeding seasons should be kept on pasturage of good quality or legume hay in racks, and fed middlings (shorts). Corn may be hand fed in quantities necessary to keep them in good physical cordition. Mature boars during breeding season should be kept on pasturage of good quality if possible, or fed legume hay in racks. Hand feed a mixture of Corn-. Middlings (shorts). Tankage (60 per cent). 4 parts. 5 parts. 1 part. Feeding Young Pigs. The first opportunity to force growth of the young pigs comes when they are about 3 weeks old, when a creep should be provided in the sow's pen or pasture. Shelled corn should be provided in a trough or self-feeder. When the pigs are 5 or 6 weeks old middlings or shorts, tankage, or fish meal should be provided in a separate trough or self-feeder. Weaning Young Pigs.-The young pigs should be weaned when from 10 to 12 weeks old, depending on the conditions of the pigs and sow, and whether the sow is to raise two litters a year. It is important that the pigs be eating grain before being weaned. Weaning should be complete. Do not return the sow to the pigs. Also do not change the ration of the pigs when weaning. If skim milk is available it may be added, but in limited quantities. Any abrupt change in the diet should be avoided. Good pasture is always advisable for young pigs, Feeding Breeding Pigs.-Pigs to be kept for breeding purposes should be fed with the whole object of making them stretch out and develop bone and muscle in place of fat. After young gilts have been bred they must be fed a ration heavy enough to develop the litter and properly finish their own growth. Feeding Fattening Hogs.-After weaning, the pigs to be fattened are fed in two weeks: (1) The growing period, from weaning until within six weeks to two months of the marketing date, and (2) the finishing period, from that time up to marketing. |