F. Dodge, of Danvers, Mass., states that, in the spring of 1848, he
"bought, from a drove, seven shotes, the total weight of which was 925
pounds. The price paid for them was seven cents per pound. They were fed
an average of 184 days, and their average gain was 179 pounds of net
pork. The cost of the food they consumed was as follows:--
68 bushels corn at 53 cents, $36 04
30 " " damaged, at 35 cents, 10 50
50 " " at 65 cents, 32 50
8 " meal at 65 cents, 5 20
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$84 24
Add first cost of pigs, 64 75
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Making a total cost of $148 99
"The whole quantity of pork afforded by the pigs killed was 2178 pounds,
which was sold at 6-1/3 cents per pound, amounting to $141 57; leaving
a balance against the pigs of $7 42. The inference from this statement
is, that, at the above prices of grain, pork could not be profitably
produced at six and a half cents per pound. But it is suggested that
something might be saved by breeding the stock, instead of purchasing
shotes at seven cents per pound, live weight. It is thought, however,
that the manure afforded by the hogs would be of sufficient value to
more than overbalance any deficiency which might appear in the account
by only crediting the pork."
The food in the above case was too costly. One half of it, mixed with
parsnips, carrots, beets, or turnips, would have answered the purpose
better. The balance would then have been in favor of the pigs. We are
told, by an able writer on swine, that they will feed greedily, and
thrive surprisingly, on most kinds of roots and tubers, such as carrots,
beets, parsnips, potatoes, &c., particularly when prepared by boiling.
It may be taken as a general rule, that boiled or prepared food is more
nutritious and fattening than raw cold food; the additional expense and
labor will be more than compensated by the increased weight and quality.
Cornstalks might be used as food for swine by first cutting them[24] in
small pieces, and then boiling them until they are quite soft; a small
quantity of meal is then to be mixed in the fluid, and the stalks again
added, and fed to the pigs twice a day.
Mr. P. Wing, of Farmersville, C. W., gives us his experience in feeding
swine; and he requests his brother farmers to make similar experiments
with various kinds of food, and, by preparing them in various ways, to
ascertain what way it will yield the most nutriment--that is, make the
most pork. He says,--
"I now give the result of feeding 100 bushels of good peas to sixteen
hogs, of various mixed breeds, as found in this section. The peas were
boiled until fine, making what I call thick soup. After having fed the
hogs on the same kind of food for two weeks, I gave them their morning
feed, and weighed each one separately, noting the weight. Twelve of them
were about eighteen months old; one was a three year old sow, and three
pigs were seven and half months old when weighed. I found their total
weight 4267 lbs.; and after consuming the above amount, which took
forty-two days, I weighed them again, and found that they had gained
1358 lbs.; and on the supposition that as they gained in flesh they
shrunk in offal, I estimated their net gain to have been 1400 lbs. Their
drink consisted of ten pails of whey per day. It was allowed to stand
forty-eight hours, and the cream was skimmed off.
"I find that there is a great difference in breeds of hogs. The three
year old sow small framed, and pretty full-fleshed, weighing 504 lbs.
Her gain in the forty-two days was 66 lbs. The three pigs were from her,
and showed traces of three distinct breeds of hogs. Their first weight
and gain were as follows: the first weighed 253 lbs.--gain, 97 lbs.; the
second, 218 lbs.--gain, 75 lbs.; the third, 171 lbs.--gain, 46 lbs. When
butchered, the smallest one was the best pork, being the fattest. Two of
the most inferior of the hogs gained 1-1/2 lbs. per day; six, mixture of
the Berkshire, (I should think about one fourth,) gained 1-3/4 lbs. per
day; three of the common stock of our country gained 2-1/2 lbs.; and one
of a superior kind weighted 318 lbs., and in the forty-two days gained
134 lbs. They were weighed on the 20th September, the first time. They
were kept confined in a close pen, except once a week I let them out for
exercise, and to wallow, for the most pint of a day."