SIDELIGHTS ON PORK MAKING.
The trade in country dressed hogs varies materially from year to year.
Since the big packing houses have become so prominent in the industry
there is, of course, less done in country dressed hogs, yet a market is
always found for considerable numbers. Thirty years ago Chicago received
as many as 350,000 dressed hogs in one year. With a growth of the packing
industry this business decreased, until 1892, when only 5000 were handled
at Chicago, but since that date there has been a revival of interest, with
as many as 60,000 received in 1894 and an ever changing number since that
date. Thirty years ago the number of hogs annually packed at Chicago was
about 700,000. This business has increased since to as many as 8,000,000
in a year, the industry in other packing centers being in much the same
proportion. At all packing centers in the west there are slaughtered
annually 20,000,000 to 24,000,000 hogs.
Compared with the enormous numbers fattened and marketed on the hoof, a
very small proportion of the hogs turned off the farms each year are sold
dressed. Yet with many farmers, particularly those who have only a small
number to dispose of, it is always a question as to which is the better
way to sell hogs, dressed or alive. No individual experience can be taken
as a criterion, yet here is a record of what one Michigan farmer did in
the way of experiment. He had two lots of hogs to sell. One litter of
seven weighed a total of 1605 lbs. alive, and dressed 1,335 lbs., which
was three pounds over a one-sixth shrinkage; one litter of five weighed
1540 lbs. and dressed 1320 lbs., losing exactly one-seventh, they being
very fat. The sow weighed 517 lbs. and dressed 425, dressing away about 18
lbs. to the 100 lbs. He was offered $3.80 per 100 lbs. live weight, for
all the hogs, and $3 for the sow. He finally sold the seven hogs, dressed,
at $5 per 100 lbs., the second lot of five at $4.75, and the sow at $4.25.
He decided that by dressing the hogs before selling, he gained about
$12.50, aside from lard and trimmings. The experience here noted would not
necessarily hold good anywhere and any time. Methods employed in packing
hogs have been brought down to such a fine point, however, with
practically every portion utilized, that unless a farmer has a
well-defined idea where he can advantageously sell his dressed pork, it
would not pay, as a general thing, to butcher any considerable number of
hogs, with a view of thus disposing of them.
AN EASILY FILLED PIG TROUGH.
To get swill into a pig trough is no easy matter if the hogs cannot be
kept out until it is filled. The arrangement shown in Fig. 25 will be
found of much value and a great convenience. Before pouring in the swill,
the front end of the pen, in the form of a swinging door suspended from
the top, is placed in the position shown at _b_. The trough is filled and
the door allowed to assume the position shown at _a_.
[Illustration: FIG. 25. PIG TROUGH ATTACHMENT.]
AN AID IN RINGING HOGS.
A convenient trap for holding a hog while a ring is placed in its nose
consists of a trunk or a box without ends, 6 feet long, 30 inches high and
18 inches wide, inside measure. This trunk has a strong frame at one end,
to which the boards are nailed. The upper and lower slats are double, and
between them a strong lever has free play. To accommodate large or small
pigs, two pins are set in the lower slat, against which the lever can
bear. The pins do not go through the lever. This trunk is placed in the
door of the pen, and two men are required to hold it and ring the hogs.
When a hog enters and tries to go through, one man shoves the lever up,
catching him just back of the head, and holds him there. The second man
then rings him, and he is freed. Fig. 26 exhibits the construction of the
trap, in the use of which one can hold the largest hog with ease.
[Illustration: FIG. 26. TRAP FOR HOLDING HOG.]
AVERAGE WEIGHTS OF LIVE HOGS.
The average weight of all hogs received at Chicago in 1898 was 234 lbs.;
in 1896, 246 lbs. The average weight of all hogs received at Chicago in
1895 was 230 lbs.; in 1894, 233 lbs.; in 1893, 240 lbs.
EXTREMES IN MARKET PRICE OF PORK AND LARD.
The highest price of mess pork at Chicago during the last forty years,
according to the Daily Trade Bulletin, was $44 per bbl. in 1864, and the
lowest price $5.50 per bbl., paid in 1896. The highest price of lard was
naturally also in war times, 30c per lb. in 1865; the lowest price a shade
more than 3c, in 1896.
NET TO GROSS.
Good to prime hogs, when cut up into pork, hams, shoulders and lard, will
dress out 73 to 75 per cent, according to the testimony of the large
packing concerns. That is, for every 100 lbs. live weight, it is fair to
estimate 73 to 75 lbs. of product of the classes named. If cut into ribs
instead of pork, prime hogs would net 70 to 72 per cent, while those which
are not prime run as low as 65 per cent. For comparative purposes, it may
be well to note here that good farm-fed cattle will dress 54 to 56 per
cent of their live weight in beef, the remainder being hide, fat, offal,
etc., and sheep will dress 48 to 54 per cent, 50 per cent being a fair
average.
RELATIVE WEIGHTS OF PORTIONS OF CARCASS.
To determine the relation of the different parts of the hog as usually
cut, to the whole dressed weight, the Alabama experiment station reports
the following results. The test was made with a number of light hogs
having an average dressed weight of 137 lbs. The average weight of head
was 12.2 lbs.; backbone, 6.8 lbs.; the two hams, 25.4 lbs.; the two
shoulders, 33.1 lbs.; leaf lard, 8.3 lbs.; ribs, 5.5 lbs.; the two
"middling" sides, 35 lbs.; tender loin, 1.1 lbs.; feet, 3.6 lbs.
GATES FOR HANDLING HOGS.
The device shown in the accompanying illustrations for handling hogs when
they are to be rung or for other purposes, is very useful on the ordinary
farm. Fig. 27 represents a chute and gate which will shut behind and
before the hog and hold him in position. There is just room enough for him
to stick his nose out, and while in this position rings can be inserted.
The sides of the chute must be much closer together than shown in the
engraving, so that the hog cannot turn about. In fact, the width should be
just sufficient to allow the hog to pass through. Fig. 28 represents the
side view of another gate and pen, so arranged that the door can be opened
and shut without getting into the pen.
[Illustration: FIG. 27. HOG CHUTE.]
[Illustration: FIG. 28. DEVICE FOR OPENING GATE.]