&ff HOVNT to with Hoi^ PRICE 50 CENTS QGT 20 1915 How to Make Money With Hogs A Text Book for the Hog Raiser and Producer of Pork Products By F. D. COBURN Former Secretary Kansas Department o/" Agriculture and CAMILLUS PHILLIPS ©/"Traymore Manor, Traymore, Bucks County, Pa. ILLUSTRATED Published by ' ■'. ■ The Enterprise Manufacturing Co. of Pa. PHILADELPHIA, U. S. A. o.-^ 6?!^^ Copyright, 1916 by The Enterprise Mfg. Co. ol Pa. Philadelphia OCT 15 1915 g)CI.A416i:59 To the owners of swine, the pubHshers desire to say a few words in reference to the contents of this book. All of the information included in the following pages has been obtained from the best authoritative sources. The section on the care and raising of swine has been especially written by Mr. F. D. Coburn, the greatest authority on hogs in America. For over 20 years Mr. Coburn was secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture. He has made a life study of swine, both from the scientific and from the practical point of view. His word is undisputed among the thousands of successful raisers of hogs in the largest pork-producing States of this country. In securing the services of this noted authorij:y, in the preparation of this book, we know that we are placing before swine owners information and facts that are of inestimable value in securing the greatest profits possible from hogs, and in eliminating the many wastes and losses due to the ignorant handling and raising of pigs. In the second section, covering the slaughtering, dressing and preparation of hogs into pork products, Mr. Camillus 5 Phillips has incorporated practical methods and the "trade secrets" used by the most successful marketers of pork prod- ucts. Mr. Camillus Phillips, of Traymore Manor, is situated in the midst of successful farmers who are m.aking big profits from the raising of swine and the preparation of sausage and lard for the market. All the methods of procedure detailed in this section of our book, have been tried and tested many times. They en- able the owner of swine to secure every possible cent of profits from every pound of pig on his farm. We know that in this book we have compiled facts and information never before gotten together, that in this concise, readable form we place before our readers the facts that will enable them to make the biggest possible success with swine. The; Enterprise: Mfg. Co. of Pa. The Selection, Care and Raising of Hogs By HON. F. D. COBURN Former Secretary Kansas Department of Agriculture America is by far the foremost swine-raising country in the world, because of its leadership in Indian corn pro- duction and favorable climatic conditions. No animals are better adapted to converting their feed quickly into ready marketable-for-cash product than the hog, and no others give better return for judicious feeding and manage- ment. In any phase of farm economy swine are important, and their proper rearing has in millions of instances made possible a farm's profit. The hog by nature is omnivorous and eats a great va- riety of food if allowed his choice. A variety w^ill always produce better results, at less cost, than any one feed. Hence in the economical growing of pork there is no more important item than pasturage. Range in pasture afifords the exercise necessary to health and proper development ; and the inexpensive succulent clovers, grasses and like vegetation, while rich in muscle and bone-forming materials tend to promote growth, prevent disease and to counteract the fever-imparting properties of the grains, and especially corn. These annually save untold sums to breeders, yet the loss that results every day to those who do not act upon the fact that the hog is, in his normal condition, largely a rang- ing, grass-eating animal, is still enormous. Brood sows that live in the open, with plenty of green food and only a limited quantity of grain have conditions highly favor- able for best results, in comparison with those confined in close quarters and to a dry or grain diet. It should be re- 7 membered, however, that a hog is primarily adapted to con- centrated feeds, consequently should not be expected to live and do well on roughage alone. Hogs of the present time in America have but two gen- eral classifications, namely "lard hogs" and *'bacon hogs." Under the first head come Poland-Chinas, Berkshires, Ches- ter Whites, Duroc-Jerseys and Hampshires; under the second, Yorkshires and Tamworths. The lard hogs lead overw^helmingly in numbers and from these the great bulk of the pork and lard of commerce is made. Bacon type swine are gaunt and leggy and their flesh has a larger pro- portion of lean to fat than that of other breeds. All these can if desired be grown to great weights — sometimes as much as a thousand pounds. There is always a temptation confronting the inexpe- rienced to cross animals of different pure breeds, thinking to thereby fix in the offspring the good qualities and elimi- nate the defects of the parents, and from these establish a strain little less than perfect. Practice proves this utterly fallacious. It is not infrequently the case that among the product of a first cross there may be individuals superior to either of the parents, but breeding these gives no guar- antee of continued excellence or uniformity. These are cir- cumstances under which like does not beget like. The Cost of Raising Hogs In the chief hog-growing territory of the United States, where pasturage is supplied in connection with Indian corn, the principal grain food, the cost of hogs ready for slaugh- ter is from 2% to 3^ cents per pound, live weight. Many are raised that cost more, yet seldom so much that they do not yield a profit. While much greater weight is possible, the man who with any considerable herd reared on the usual Poland China Boar. Note the full, broad, deep and firm jowl. The broad and long hams. The legs are medium in length, straight, well set apart; fine straight, smooth coat lying close to body. Color, black. Six white points, tip of tail; four white feet; white in face on nose or point of lower jaw. feeds produced by the farm, markets them averaging a pound for each day of their age is more than ordinarily successful. Where corn is the principal grain used, well bred, well-fed hogs without special care are expected to show ten pounds of gain per bushel of corn consumed, al- though properly managed they should do better. Latter day tendencies are all toward marketing hogs of lighter weights and younger than formerly. The swine eighteen to thirty months old, that were the abnormal piles of fat formerly approved and commanding the highest prices, are now regarded as altogether unprofitable, if not unwholesome. Suggestive of the younger marketing of hogs nowadays, and their lighter weights when considered ready, is the fact that the average of the 3,085,556 head shipped to the Kansas City market in a recent year was 4 '9 Berkshire Sow. The Berkshire is an extremely popular breed. Color, black. Skin and hair tinged with bronze or copper. Short broad snout and face well dished. Towl, full and heavy running: well back on the neck. Flank, set well back and low down on leg. Hams, deep and thick extending well up. Thoroughbreds are attractive, spirited and vigorous. but 204 pounds, and of those in the preceding- year 210 pounds. The averages of such large numbers, coming in different years from the foremost hog-growing territory in the world, indicate that in this respect they were typical of their time. The Breeds and Their Characteristics Poland-Chinas. — Poland Chinas originated in Butler and Warren counties, Ohio, about 1838-1840, from crossing various families there known as Big China, Byfield, Bed- ford and Irish Grazier, the offspring being a large and some- what coarse black-and-white spotted swine called by vari- ous names, for which a national convention of swine-breed- ers, in 1872, selected that of Poland-China. These were crossed with imported Berkshires to give refinement and 10 % Berkshire Boar. A good type of high style Berkshire boar. Note the dished face, short sturdy legs, the fine, soft and abundant hair. Medium sized ears are erect, except in middle-aged animals, where they are inclined to droop. propensity to early fattening, and incidentally they acquired even then and still have much of the Berkshire's confor- mation — black color and white markings. They have med- ium to small drooping ears. This breed, pre-eminently an American product, is perhaps foremost in number and popu- larity throughout the corn-producing regions. They are docile, growthy, easy feeders and hardy. Efforts to breed out the coarseness of the earlier Ohio stock were carried to such an extreme as to be considered detrimental, and since about 1892 many breeders have been mating for more bone, bulk and growthiness, until now Poland-Chinas of great size, and known as ''Big Type" are in a very consider- able degree displacing their neater, finer-boned and possibly more delicate predecessors. Here and there an attempt 11 Chester White Boar. A Pennsylvania breed. Lengthy and of good size. Remarkably active. Gentle disposition. Ears rather thin and well proportioned, drooping. Coat fine and thick, and always silvery white. is being made to establish families having the characteristics of the earlier Poland-Chinas, most conspicuous of which was the predominating white color, interspersed with black spots or patches. Berkshires. — The Berkshire, in its less improved form originated, as did the Essex, in England, from Italian and Spanish swine crossed with the coarser native stock, be- tween 1780 and 1800. Although first introduced to North America about 1830, it did not obtain general or permanent favor until after 1870. The breed is widely disseminated in America, and justly a favorite, both to breed pure and to cross with other breeds. American breeders have done much to improve the size, form and character of the Berk- shire, and it is doubtful if for general utility they are out- classed by swine of any breed. They are active, robust, hardy, self-reliant grazers, and grow with some white on 12 r^ Chester White Pigs. Showing the characteristic hair of this breed, and the short legs. Chesters are classed among the largest swine known, maturing from five hundred to six hundred pounds. The Ohio Improved Chester or O. I. C. swine are a cross between Chesters and native Ohio stock. the face, jowls and tail, and usually they have some or all white feet. Their ears are rather erect, inclining to droop with age. Berkshires rate high for bacon making. Chester Whites. — This large, white breed had its be- ginnings in Chester county, Pennsylvania, 1818-1830, by mating some white boars from Bedfordshire, England, with the best sows of the stock then common in Chester county. By careful selection and mating the thrifty Quakers of that vicinity in the ensuing forty years developed a strain that deservedly attracted much favorable attention by their many good qualities, including docility, large size and prof- itable growth. Following the close of the Civil War they were extensively disseminated throughout the United States, but later their popularity waned, mainly because ap- parently they were more subject to skin diseases than swine of darker colors. In the past ten years, however, they have again come into much favor, with both growers and packers. They have abundant hair, drooping ears, and fairly short, broad faces. Some of the heaviest hogs ever grown have been Chester Whites. 13 Duroc-Jersey Pigs. Sandy, or cherry red in color, small head; medium dished face. Jowl broad and full. Moderate broad shoulders. Hams and rump broad and full. Legs medium in size and length, set straight and wide apart. Duroc-Jerseys. — The Duroc-Jerseys, sometimes "cher- ry red," and sometimes sandy, sometimes ginger-colored, and again almost a dirty black, drooping-eared, are the re- sult of a blending in recent years of families that first at- tracted prominent attention in New Jersey where they were known as "Jersey Reds," with the somewhat different type common in Saratoga County, New York, and locally known as "Durocs." The best of them are very easy feeders, full of quality, and in many instances carry extreme weight firmly on bones astonishingly small. They are hardy, pro- lific, and quiet in disposition. Their increase in popular esteem in the corn belt in the past twenty-five years has been phenomenal, and those best acquainted with them claim there are none better. High quality is not confined to any one color or shade of these swine, so generally spoken of as "red." Except in color the Duroc-Jerseys are not es- sentially different from Poland-Chinas and Chester Whites 14 '^'^M'S^ Duroc-Jersey Boar. Fine type of this special breed, showing the characteristic fea- tures fully developed. The size is generally large for age. Boars two years old weighing about six hundred pounds. Vigorous and animated in action with a free and easy style. Quiet and gentle. in general appearance and quality. Suggestive of their prolificacy and mothering qualities is the fact that a Bar- ton county, Kansas, man owned a sow that when 23 months and 10 days old had farrowed litters of 13, 12 and 20, or a total of 45 pigs within 11 months and 5 days, and raised 23 of them. Hampshires. — Hampshires are understood to have been introducd to Pennsylvania from England perhaps eighty years ago, and found their principal appreciation in Ken- tucky, where they Avere reared to a limited extent and known as "Thin-Rind" or ''Belted" hogs. In 1904 their admirers formed an Association, established a pedigree rec- ord and named their favorites Hampshires. They are rather of the bacon type, leggy, have long, narrow faces, some- what erect ears, and are black, with a belt of white four to twelve inches wide encircling the fore part of the body. Tamworth Sow. Tamworths are primarily bacon hogs. Golden red in color of hair with flesh color skin. Snout is moderately long and straight, with only slightly dished face. Legs are strong with plenty of bone and set well outside of body. Note the long and deep sides with the straight underline. Sows usually have large litters. While they are reasonably quiet and fatten readily with abundant feed they are by no means sluggish ; on the other hand they are the best of grazers and take care of them- selves better than do some others. Yorkshires. — The lengthy, short-nosed white hogs from England, mostly spoken of here as Large Yorkshires and in England as Large Whites, are perhaps, as to numbers, the most popular bacon swine we have and are excellent for their purpose. They are not numerous in the States, but find much favor with Canadians. Although somewhat leggy they are less so than the Tamworths, and with their symmetry and better heads are far more comely. Tamworths. — Tamworths are "red" or sandy hogs known in parts of England for a long time, but apparently 16 Yorkshire Sow. A bacon breed. The "Small White" Yorkshire is known in America as the Suffolk. Note the long, deep build and outline of this type. The legs not so long as the Tamworth. Upturned snout, the curve increasing with age. Color white with smooth white skin. Active in movement. little was done for their improvement, as improvement is regarded in the United States, for in thin flesh they look in some respects startlingly like wild hogs, consisting largely of head, legs and heavy ears, somewhat upright. They are active, almost to restlessness, hardy and pro- lific, but never become very fat and for this reason they are raised for their large proportion of leanish bacon. It is in Canada that they are most appreciated, and in the States they cut but small figure. Mule-Foots. — A type of swine brought considerably to public attention within the latter part of the present decade, is designated as Mule-Foot. Their distinguishing peculiarity is solid instead of cleft hoofs, and wattles, hair- covered, and one to four inches long, pendant from each 17 side of the lower jaw. In southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, where they are well known, they have generally been called "Ozarks." Their color is mostly black, with various white markings. In size medium, they are of fair quality, but without special merits not possessed by the better known breeds. Other Breeds. — Other recognized breeds that had some general or local repute fifty years ago, but now practically obsolete, are the wholly-black Essex from England, Suf- folks (know^n also as Small Yorkshires and Prince Alberts) a silvery white, chubby, undersized, tender-skinned sort also English, and the Cheshires and Victorias, fairly meri- torious white hogs of medium size, but without outstanding qualities that ever gave them any stronghold upon pork- producers in general. Berkshire Sows and Young Pigs. Breeding There is no one best breed for all men, and each pos- sesses some characteristics to recommend it. The begin- ner should choose a breed with qualities appealing to his individual liking. Having made his choice, he should pro- cure the best of its kind, persevere with it, and persistently 18 aim to make its progeny better than its ancestors. The farmer generally does not need to care whether the hogs he rears are red, white, or black; whether their ears droop or point skyward. He wants animals with constitution, stamina, strong digestion and quick growth, and animals without these traits he cannot afford to maintain. Characteristics of the Boar A boar should be masculine and robust in every re- spect, or the opposite of feminine, but without coarseness. A moderately short, broad, somewhat dished face, small- ish ears, stout neck, broad chest, a smooth, symmetrical body, with a wide back tolerably straight, but slightly arched rather than sagging, all supported on stocky, up- standing short legs, fine, elastic skin covered with abund- ant lively hair, and a quiet disposition are qualities to be always sought. He should be active, yet not nervous, and friendly and peaceable rather than fierce. He can be a great factor in his owner's prosperity, for he is far more than half the herd; he is half the first generation, three- fourths of the next, seven-eights of the third, and so on. The boar's condition should at all times be that of thrift and vigor, nor fat, nor yet so lean that as a barrow he would not be considered fit for slaughter. If too fat he will be clumsy, slow, and in no wise sure in service. After five or six months old he will do best kept by himself, and where sows may not arouse him. He should be in a comfortable pen, with a lot or pasture adjoining, and sup- plied with a variety of nutritious food. His permanent quar- ters should have sunlight and dry warmth, be cleanly, and so located that the sows may be conveniently brought to him. He should not be kept in the herd. It is not advis- 19 able to use him before about eight months old, and prefer- able but little before he is a yearling. A service not more than three or four times a week is preferable, and once to a sow at one time is sufficient. Characteristics of the Sow A sow for breeding should be of a rangy, roomy, deep build rather than short and compact. Her head and throat should be broad and smooth and heart girth large, the lat- ter indicative of room for strong vital organs. Legs should be fairly short and straight, and strong without coarseness. Along with these ribs notably sprung out from a wide back, a well-rounded rump, full hams, and evidence of good milk- giving qualities are essentials. Having these a sow of quiet disposition, prolific and a good suckler is indeed a treasure, and rightly managed is a foundation for a for- tune. She may be a mixture of any of the good breeds and mated with a pure-bred boar will farrow litters that for pork-making are of the highest quality. An open sow not suckling is in season for mating at intervals of about twenty-one days ; at breeding time she should be thrifty, but neither fat nor very lean — not starved down and not pork fat. Plenty of exercise is important during pregnancy, and the sow should be provided with it by being in pasture, or in such way as the breeder finds best adapted to his situation ; also a variety of food, of which corn is not too large a part. If in pig it may be known usually 20 or 21 days after mating. The period of gestation is about 112 days. Young sows sometimes carry their first litters for a slightly shorter period, not infre- quently farrowing in 106 days or 108 days, while old sows may take possibly 115 days. 20 Feeding Pregnant Sows Sows in pig should not be herded with fattening hogs kept on corn, but be in pasture if possible, with comfortable shelter or shade accessible, and given a supply of slop, such for example, as equal parts of shorts, corn meal and wheat bran mixed in water or milk. Feeds which supply con- siderable bulk are preferable, and those tending to prevent constipation are important. Sows wintered largely on al- falfa hay are noted for their robust litters and strong flow of milk the following spring. Care of Sows and Pigs at Farrowing Time Of course, the most desirable time for pigs to be far- rowed is during the first mild days of spring, or say early in April, which would require breeding the sows as near as might be from December 10th to 20th. Where shelter and conveniences make the new born pigs safely com- fortable and safe, they can come somewhat earlier and thus have a longer season before maturity the succeeding fall. Spring is the natural season for most young animals to arrive and have the most promising start in life, and as a rule, those born at another season seem in a greater or less degree handicapped in spite of all the care than can be given. Notwithstanding their general hardiness pigs are sensitive to both heat and cold, against which their coats are insufficient. The newly-born pigs may be much pro- tected from crushing against the walls of the pen or nest by the mother, by a fender made of a scantling, rail or pole securely fastened, say eight inches from the walls of her pen and the same distance from the floor. There are plenty of arguments for two litters a year; many breeders are able to keep fall litters thrifty from start 21 to finish, but on the whole the chances are against it. Fall pigs are liable to suffer a good deal from cold, to become lousy, have scours, and be afflicted with some of the various skin diseases, such as mange. With proper care these draw- backs do not occur, but not half the pigs raised have proper care. In winter they usually have too little or too much bedding. In the former case they suffer from cold ; in the latter they pile and become overheated, and when they come out into a cold air the change is so violent that coughs or other worse evils follow. Protection Against Vermin and Skin Diseases When pigs become mangy, or while they have mange, there is no profit in them. An excellent protection against vermin and skin diseases in the warmer weather is a ce- ment wallowing tank or vat, in the pasture or hog lot, filled with water the surface of which has a coating of crude pe- troleum. Swine will bathe in this, doctoring and keeping themselves free from vermin and skin ailments. The tank should by rights be shedded over. Feeding Young Pigs For the first weeks the mother's milk is the pig's drink as well as food, and therefore in caring for suckling sows it should be the aim so to feed them that milk not feverish and of only medium richness, will be furnished instead of a limited supply of that which is extremely rich — the latter being more liable to cause thumps, scours and unsatisfac-, tory growth. More economical gains are made from the sow's milk than in any other way, and the sow will furnish nourishment for her young at less cost for the raw material than any other animal on the farm. Pigs should not be ex- posed to cold rain or winds. AVhere they can, without dan- 22 ger, they should be out in the sun within 24 hours from birth and after that run in and out at will. A new pig's body is largely water, and to grow he must have food that will produce tissue. That is why the milk, primarily designed to furnish proper nourishment for grow- ing animals, needs to be, as it is, so rich in nitrogenous sub- stance. Later, when the time comes that he is intended for quick fattening, he should, naturally, be supplied with feed containing much fat-making material, and it is that quality which has given Indian corn its high place in finishing hogs for slaughter. It is readily seen, therefore, that different kinds of feeds will be needed to give the most profitable re- sults, according to the stage of the growth of the animal, the energy required for its maintenance, and the end to which it is destined. The aim of the judicious feeder is to add constantly to the flesh acquired before weaning, bring- ing the hog up to 250 to 400 pounds as early and on as inex- pensive feed as possible — and a pig should be kept growdng every hour of its life. The young will naturally put on weight more cheaply than the older ones, and gains after ten months cost considerably more per pound than those made earlier. Fecundity of Sows At the Iowa station it was found that 15 sows bred at eight or nine months averaged seven and two-thirds pigs per litter, while 14 sows about 24 months old averaged nine and six-tenths pigs, and aged sows averaged ten and six- tenths per litter. Pigs from the younger sows weighed on an average 2.39 pounds each ; from the two-year-old sows 2.63, and from the aged sows 2.61 pounds. Six weeks old the pigs from the young sows made an average daily gain of .32 pounds, from the two-year-old sows .40 pounds. That is, the two-year-old sows farrowed 24 per cent, more pigs 23 than the young sows, and the still older sows farrowed 30 per cent. more. The weight of the pigs from the two-year- olds was 9 per cent, greater than that of the young sows, while the pigs from the older sows were 12 per cent, larger than from the young sows. The pigs from the two-year- olds made a more rapid gain than those from the young sows, by 26 per cent. In every instance the older sows far- rowed more pigs per litter, heavier pigs, and their pigs made the most rapid growth. The Wisconsin station tested the relative sizes and weights in litters from young and old sows, with astonish- ing results. Sows weighing an average of 482 pounds at farrowing averaged 9.2 pigs per litter, having a weight of 27 pounds. From sows weighing 307 pounds the average lit- ter was 6.7 pigs, and their weight 16 pounds. Where the average weight per sow was 238 pounds the average number in a litter was 5.5 pigs and their weight 14 pounds. Sows between the ages of four and five years averaged nine pigs to a litter, weighing 26 pounds; sows between two and three years old averaged 7.5 pigs, of 19.7 pounds weight, and sows a year old produced 7.8 pigs, averaging 14.2 pounds per litter. Geo. M. Rommel, of the Bureau of Animal Industry, compiled from records of the Poland-China and Duroc- Jersey associations figures showing the fecundity of such a great number of sows of these breeds as to make them fully representative. Observations of 14,703 Poland-China litters in the five years, 1882-86 inclusive, disclosed an av- erage of 7.04 pigs per litter. Observations of 39,812 litters of the same breed in the years 1898-1902, showed an average of 7.52 pigs. This was an increase in the latter five years of .48, or nearly one-half pig per litter, a percentage of 6.81. From 1893 to 1897 inclusive, 3,762 Duroc-Jersey sows aver- 24 aged 9.22 pigs each. From 1898 to 1902 inclusive, 17,890 sows averaged 9.27 pigs each, or an increase of .054 per cent. Of the more than 76,000 sows of both breeds under these observations one Poland-China farrowed 20 pigs and two Duroc-Jerseys a like number. Weaning Pigs Pigs are weaned when from seven to ten weeks old. Frequently a sow will herself wean her pigs at the proper time. It is not advisable to take all from the sow at once, unless one or two can be turned with her some hours later, to draw the milk she will have at that time, and again, say after a lapse of 24 hours. The preferred way is to leave about two of the smallest with her for several days, and after that leave only one for two or three days more, by which time the flow of milk will have so gradually subsided that no injury will result to the sow by keeping them en- tirely away from her. This extra milk helps to push the smaller pigs toward an equality with their thriftier mates. Feedings and Fattening of Hogs Supplemental to pasture and a grain ration the by- products of the cow are of great value to swine at any age. Where dairies or butter factories are, or where cows are kept for other puposes than the sale of milk as such, the pig is a most useful and profitable adjunct. Upon the skim milk, judiciously used with other and more substantial foods, he thrives, grows and fattens, utilizing a by-product of tremendous volume, which otherwise would represent little of available value. Much of this could come under the head of slop or swill, but there is a wide difference be- tween slop and swill. Slop is properly a hog's relish, while swill is too frequently nothing more than water polluted with 25 unhealthful refuse, and in a condition of decay and filth it may cause a loss of valuable animals. Swill and garbage from city hotels and restaurants not infrequently contain substances extremely injurious to any animal eating them. Where refuse, grease, milk, whey and other things that go to make up swill are left in a barrel day after day, bacterial growths develop and chemical changes take place which often more than counteract any value the swill may have. However, when much slop or swill is given to hogs a sup- ply of wholesome water ought to be within their reach at all times. Soup, however abundantly balanced, is not a sat- isfactory substitute for drinking water. One authority finds that the proper water supply, or its equivalent, ranges from 12 pounds daily, per hundred pounds of animal at weaning time down to 4 pounds per hundred during the fattening period. The Importance of Correctly Balanced Rations In corn-growing territory hog-growers find their abundant and inexpensive corn a main reliance. It should be considered but one of the elements in a reasonably bal- anced ration. Attempting to rear hogs on corn alone, in whatever form, is a false economy by which the feeder cheats both himself and his hogs. Its natural supplements are those which furnish protein and mineral matter, and, if not easily available on the farm they are usually pur- chaseable so as to be used at a profit. Some, like clover, alfalfa, rape and other pasturage, are unquestioned as to their desirable qualities, and others, as the prepared meat scraps from the great packing houses and known by their various trade names, such as meat meal or tankage, have rapidly come in favor for the large amount of protein they supply at a moderate cost. The ash or mineral matter of 26 corn is not digestible by swine, and the absence of mineral matter in their food tends to an imperfect, bony structure; yet it is neither difficult nor expensive to supply wood ashes, salt, coal, charcoal or charred cobs as correctives, available along with their corn. The proper supplementary feeds used to balance the corn in a ration not only give bet- ter results in fattening, but also make possible a more eco- nomical ration. Experiment stations have repeatedly dem- onstrated that cooking or soaking grain for swine has little or no advantage. Pasturage Where alfalfa is not grown red clover is the standard hog pasture, but it is scarcely comparable to alfalfa. An acre of red clover should, as an average, support six to ten well-grown hogs for three or four months. The number that alfalfa will carry per acre will vary. River valley and creek bottom land having a good stand will carry from 15 to 20 head of 50 to 125-pound shoats per acre. Upland of fair av- erage fertility will support from 8 to 10 head of the same kind. When a field is used only for pasture it is better to divide it into several lots and move the hogs from one to the other as occasion suggests. White clover, bluegrass, rye, rape, cowpeas, vetch, wheat and oats are also useful pasture plants. Providing some variety is much better than dependence upon any single growth, however excellent that one may be. It is much the best economy to furnish swine a grain ration when they are on pasture. One man estimates that it takes from one-half to one-third less corn on alfalfa pasture than on a straight grain ration to make a hog ready for market. A farmer who raises about a thousand hogs annually and who in one year sold $11,200 worth, keeps his hogs on 27 alfalfa pasture until about eight months old, giving one ear of corn per head daily. He then full-feeds them on corn for a month or two and sells at an average v^eight of 300 to 225 pounds. Another feeds as much corn and slop as the pigs vi^ill clean up, all the v^hile grazing them on alfalfa, and sells v^hen six to eight months old at w^eights of 200 to 300 pounds. One, vv^ho raises about a thousand head a year, feeds w^ith pasture all the corn the pigs w^ill eat, beginning shortly after weaning and continuing until sold at ten to eleven months, averaging about 275 pounds. One of the most extensive and successful breeders in the Middle West, says 25 years of pasturing hogs of all ages on alfalfa proves conclusively to him that a fourth to a half grain ration, while they are on such pasture, will produce greater growth in a given time than when in dry lots on full feeds of corn. A great advantage of alfalfa as a pasture is that it affords a fresh growth throughout the grazing season. "A" Shaped Portable House Standard type of hog house, easy of con- struction. Depth, 9 ft. 4 in.; width, 7 ft. 8 in. Height about 6 ft.; 2x4-in. joists; give a foundation for floor. This house can be readily moved, enabling the maintenance of sanitary conditions. Housing Hogs Ordinarily large, permanent and expen- sive hog houses are not best; while small, light, portable wig- wams, with or with- out floors, and hold- ing but a few head, are easily cleaned and disinfected, or moved to a new and clean location. For pens, light galvanized iron troughs are extremely 28 satisfactory and easily cleansed. The latter is desirable in any form of trough. Do not permit feed to remain in them to sour and decompose. Ailments, Preventives and Remedies The principal ail- ments that interfere with the profits of swine - growing are cholera, intestinal worms and lice. Chol- era costs farmers un- told millions of dollars each year, but no one knows exactly what it is, its cause or a cure, although serum injec- tion is now obtainable from Government and State laboratories which properly used in time is a quite dependable preventive. This should be administered by a veterinarian, acquainted with such work and its results. Cholera infection is spread by diseased hogs, and is carried from farm to farm by the feet of visitors, by dogs, cats, buz- zards, pigeons, sparrows and running water. Government authorities have long recommended the following mixture as useful for protection against cholera, worms and other swine affliction, viz.: Shed Roof Hog House A more expensive type than "A" shape. Size 6 ft. 4 in. wide; 8 ft. long; 6 ft. 2 in. high in front and 3 ft. high in the rear. A type of house that allows better ventila- tion by the addition of openings at the top below the eaves. Cholera Preventive One pound each of pulverized wood charcoal, sulphur, sodium sulphate and antimony sulphide, with two pounds 29 each of sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium hyposulphite, all thoroughly mixed and a tablespoonful given in ground feed once a day to hogs weighing 200 pounds, and to others in proportion to their weight. Worm Preventive A worm preventive highly approved is 10 pounds each of pulverized charcoal, air slaked lime and hardwood ashes, and 5 pounds each of common salt and sulphur with one pound of pulverized sulphate of iron all thoroughly mixed and kept in a dry place where swine may use it at will. Treatment for Lice Lice often become a sad torment to swine, breeding in myriads, especially behind the ears and forearms, between the forelegs and about the flanks, making thrift impossible. Kerosene mixed with half its quantity of lard oil, applied with a brush or otherwise two or three times at intervals of a week will prove fatal to the lice and their eggs. Almost any greasy substance is useful. There are also on sale var- ious patented dips and contrivances for administering them which serve their purpose admirably and are judicious in- vestments. Most of these constitute, too, excellent treatment for mange and similar skin ailments to which swine are often subject. 30 Wffi^ Pork Products The Making of Country Sausage and Lard By CAMILLUS PHILLIPS of Traymore Manor, Traymore, Bucks County, Pa. (Prefatory Note: — Mr. Phillips has made, for a great number of years past, in the heart of the banner farming county of Penn- sylvania, a series of investigations and studies of farm butchering, with special reference to the home production of country sausage and lard, not only on the limited scale required for health and economy in the farm home table, but also on the basis of adding a substantial cash amount to the year's income by sales outside. The processes outlined here are the essence of the skill gained in the course of butchering and trade, by many local experts, analyzed and condensed by an expert for general application.) THERE used to be a saying among country sausage makers that you can slide anything into a casing except a horse-shoe ; and a good dash of sage would cover up even that. But those days are over. There is only one way, these times, to make good country sausage and, by means of it, to make good money. That is why, in the course of this description of sausage and lard-making, only one way is given. Yet there are certain details of manufacture, and certain selections of ingredients, praised and practiced by makers aiming at superiority, that can well be dispensed with by a farmer who aims to produce only a first class sausage at a first class profit. He has always a market a good deal bigger than he is for plain, honest country sausage and good, solid, honest lard. It 32 will always cost him more than it is worth to chase the rain- bow of the market for sausage with frills on it. It may be said that every farmer, no matter how few his acres or how poor — no matter whether he can raise a thousand hogs or can't feed a shoat — has a gold mine in his sausage stuffer — provided he owns the right make of stuf- fer. For it is a permanent fact that, whether corn costs 50 cents or $1 a bushel and hogs bring $5 or $12 a hundred, any farmer with plain horse sense, and the right machinery, can turn hogs into country sausage, lard, and hard cash enough to pay a good living profit. If he can't raise hogs, he can buy them ; the margin of profit is sure to be there — ab often as not, a bigger margin for the farmer who butchers than for the one who merely feeds them. Preferred Breeds for Sausage and Lard Men who raise their animals with the definite aim of turning them into country sausage, have generally a pref- erence for Berkshires as best meeting the prime require- ments of age and weight. But results are usually excel- lent with O. I. C. and also with Poland-Chinas. Under sim- ilar conditions, the Duroc-Jersey and the Poland-China breeds are apt to run more to lard tendencies ; but they, too, are available for both purposes. And many hog growers are well satisfied with the results attained by means of cross breeds. In practice, particularly where a man has to buy in order to supplement his own stock, the good, satis- factory sausage hog is always ''as is," whether his breed be Berkshire or "boardyard." And, if he isn't aW fat, he is likely to make good sausage, even though his age be up to five years and his weight to 500 pounds. Given the choice, far better country sausage will go into the casings from an old animal than from a very young one, for the older meat 33 is dryer and the sausage stands up far better in the frying pan. What's more, the profit, proportionately, is much greater on the full grown animal than it can be on any pig of 4 months, even with a w^eight of 125 to 140 pounds — which happens mighty seldom. Profitable Age and Weight for Slaughtering In the past, the standard age for a sausage and lard hog was 1 year. Modern experts in feeding, handling se- lected strains, have been able to show 200 pounds at an age of 5 months. The expert country sausage maker today is well satisfied to find his hogs between those two standards — to work with animals 8 to 10 months old that have an average weight of 200 pounds, dressed. That constitutes the ideal general profit weight, with the carcass in ideal condition for supplying firm yet tender sausage meat and lard that, with the least outlay of fuel and labor, will stand up well under all ordinary temperatures. Such a hog, dress- ed at 200 pounds, will have weighed about 250 on the foot. It can fairly be relied upon to furnish 60 pounds of lard and at least 100 pounds of country sausage. Necessary Equipment for Making of Sausage and Lard Apart from the chopper and the stufifer and lard press — two items which must embody mechanical perfection — the farmer's equipment for the business can be so simpli- fied that it need cost him practically nothing; and the spe- cial sausage and lard outfit is now made, in perfect adapta- tion to its purposes, at a price so low that the business can be started, on its mechanical side, with an investment of only a few dollars. 34 The Perfect Sausage Chopper The essence of quality in country sausage is mechanical perfection in the cutting of the meat; so that a meat chopper alone should be em- ployed which actually does chop. Any machine that merely tears, mangles or shreds produces an in- ferior article, besides maintaining a continued demand for extra, need- less power. The one A knife aud plate chopper of the style that screws fast to table or block. This ma- chine will chop three pounds of meat per minute. meat-and-food chopper now employed by makers of country sausage who are gaining local reputations — some among them national reputations — for quality, costs no more than inferior machines, yet it is constructed wholly on the cutting principle, having a four- bladed steel knife, razor like in sharp- ness, . re- vo 1 V i n 2: Family size style of knife and plate chopper. Attaches to table by means of thumb-screw clamp. Chops one and one-half pounds of meat per minute. Knife Plate Four - bladed, keen - edged, steel knife that revolves against perforated steel plate, giving the true slicing cut. Perforated steel plate. The meat is forced by means of the feed screw of the chopper against and into the perfora- tions of the plate, as the re- volving steel knife slices them into tiny uniform par- ticles. against the perforated steel plate to which the meat is driven by the screw. Capable of a relatively enormous output, it is marvelous that a machine of such productive- ness, made in all sizes from hand work up to immense power outfits, could be adjusted to so fine a nicety^ and, after years of service, never weaken and never fail to run any way but true. 35 The Perfect Sausage Stuffer and Lard Press The stuffing machine must embody a principle of equal importance for the purpose intended — the principle of exclu- sion of the air from the casings. Ordinary stuffers, admitting even a few traces of air into the sausage, make certain its rapid loss of freshness and the development of all the dangerous taints incident to pork. But the ideal meat chopper which has been described has made for it and its press an equally ideal stuffing attachment, with corrugations that ensure absolute exclusion of the air and make a sausage that keeps in a manner astonishing to those accustomed to expect a product which must be cooked and eaten immediately, lest it should have already begun to spoil. The sausage stuffer, which is also the lard press, that will handle large quantities of sausage or lard, calls for an exactness in con- struction that matches the nicety of the chopper. The cylinder must be bored true — perfectly true — true to one-thousandth part of an inch ; so that, the plunger plate shall fit the cylinder, from top to bottom, with unfailing and hair-breadth accuracy. Imperfect fitting is what makes so many stuffers bind and, when the pressure is increased to carry the plunger plate down in the cyl- inder, break like brittle china. The perfect stuffer, too, is ob- tainable — made with the same regard for the essential basic principle involved and constructed with the same The stuffer with the pat- ented corrugated spout that prevents air from entering the sausage casing. The iron cylinder of this stuffer is bored true. The plunger plate fits with mechanical ac- curacy and cannot jam or bind. Note the broad lips of the tin strainer used in press- ing lard. These lips enable the operator to secure a firm hold and prevent burning the hands when the strainer is filled with hot cracklings. 36 fineness combined with strength. Every hardware and implement dealer in the United States and Canada knows the identifying marks which have been specified here ; keep the appliances always in stock, and sell them at prices which are extremely low compared to the profit they enable the farmer to obtain from the selling of his hogs as pork prod- ucts. With whichever sizes he may require of these all- important means for making country sausage and lard, installed and ready for service, no farmer need venture an additional outlay, except for the raw material. But if he can spare only a modest sum for his first investment, he will find himself more than repaid in economy of time and trouble. Appliances for Slaughtering and Dressing Thus, he can erect a dressing scaffold by means of three stout saplings in tepee form with a fence rail laid from their top to the crotch of an apple tree; and it will work as well as if he hired a carpenter from town to build a scaffold of selected pine, guar- anteed free from knots and var- nished like a market rack. And he can make his own gambrels, of oak or hickory, as well as a supply house can furnish them. Tepee form of scaffold jjc can contrivc, from the odds made by binding together ' with rope or wire three sap- and ends of the farm equipment, lings. This scaffold can be i -r i • i used to support a single car- the butcher knife that is to shave cass, or can, if heavier tim- ^.i i i j r „^ >^ cents, and 4-pound cans for 4^4 cents. With pigs selling at $10 to $12 per hundredweight, dressed, lard will command usually 12 cents per pound wholesale and 15 cents retail. Recollecting what has been said regarding the increased value of the fat when it serves to supplement the lean meat 51 used in country sausage, the farmer who contemplates en- larging his income by the use of the mortgage-lifting meat chopper and lard press can see with half an eye how wise he will be to go the whole hog. Marking Pigs The raiser of hogs should early establish a systematic method of marking his swine, not only for the purpose of identification when they have strayed beyond the boundaries of his farm, but so that he may check up carefully, without mistake in his record-book, the age and gain in weight of each individual pig. Swine are generally marked by notching or punching the ears. A harness punch or any other instrument is used that enables the work to be quickly done. All pigs in a litter should be given an identification mark. Each pig the same mark. If necessary special marks can be put on for the identification of each pig. A method commonly used is to mark the right ear of the pig with notches or punches to indicate the units and multiples of the figure 1. One notch on the right ear, lower edge, standing for 1 ; On the upper edge for 10; Two notches on the low^er edge represents 2 ; Two notches on the upper edge, 20. The left ear of the pig carries notches or punches indi- cating the units and multiples of the figure 3. One notch on the lower edge, standing for 3 ; Two notches on the lower edge standing for 6. One notch on the upper edge standing for 30 ; Two notches on the upper edge standing for 60. ' One notch on the lower side of right ear ; and One notch on the lower side of left ear, would stand for 4. 52 Two notches on the lower side of right ear; and one notch on the lower side of left ear would stand for 5. One notch on the lower side of right ear; and two notches on the lower side of left ear, with one notch on upper side of right ear, stands for 17. Any combination up to 100 can be made through this system of marking. It is easy to remember by establishing the position of figures 1 and 3, and 10 and 30. The rest of the numbers being merely combinations. By all means keep an accurate record of your pigs, and their cost. By doing this you can tell exactly at the end of your year just what profits they have brought you. Also by comparison of foods and weights, you can arrive at deduc- tions that will assist materially in the economical feeding of your swine. Points on Feeding Before young pigs are weaned, grain rations may be fed. After weaning heavy grain feed may be postponed until cooler weather. Following rations are satisfactory for devel- oping young pigs. Equal parts of cornmeal, wheat middlings, ground oats, }i part of oil meal. Or, equal parts of ground barley, wheat middlings, ground oats ; % part oil meal. Or, equal parts cornmeal and wheat middhngs, ^ part oil meal. Or, equal parts of wheat middlings and ground barley; ys part of oil meal. First ration is in good proportion to keep the digestive tract in proper condition. During the fattening period corn should be fed in increasing amounts. Oil meal is an impor- tant ingredient, as it forms a heavy combination when mixed 53 with the slop, that prevents settling. Without oil meal or milk in slop, the heavy foods will settle rapidly to the bottom. Oil meal besides regulating the digestive organs gives quality to skin and hair. Skim Milk is Fine Food The owner of swine who raises clover, alfalfa and corn, and has a good supply of skim milk needs to purchase but little other food. Skim milk makes a splendid feed for swine. If sufficient quantities are used to form the greater part of the liquid in any ration, oil meal need not be fed. About one hundred pounds of skim milk are equal in value as food to one- half bushel of corn. Buttermilk is equal or even better than skim milk for fattening swine, though not considered as good for young pigs. Forage Crops An important part of food supply for swine is good for- age. The owner of swine should develop his animals as much as possible on dairy and farm products and forage crops, with a heavy grain feeding for the fattening or finishing period. Native blue grass is a satisfactory pasture in spring and early summer. After July, when this grass becomes dry and ceases to grow, it should be supplemented with rape or other of forage crops. Rape is a valuable forage. Rape should be from 14 inches to 18 inches high when the pigs are turned into it. Some farmers sow rape broadcast with oats and cloA-er, in the proportion of 5 pounds rape, 6 pounds oats, 1 bushel clover per acre. Each acre with a good stand will sup- ply fifteen spring pigs with forage for the rest of the season. Clover before it is matured is a splendid forage crop. Clover and corn make one of the best combinations for cheap pork production. Alfalfa is considered equal to clover. Its value has been demonstrated in the western States, where it is grown abundantly. Field peas and oats usually furnish but a 54 short period of forage, but on light soil the mixture should prove satisfactory. Red clover and oat mixture properly grown should make a saving- of 25 to 30 per cent, in the grain ra- tions. An acre of clover and oats properly grown and cared for should furnish forage from the middle of June to Octo- ber for fifteen to twenty spring shoats. Certain precautions are necessary in order to feed forage to advantage. The pig should not be turned into forage until it has a good start. Wet ground and soft feed after a heavy rain is easily damaged by the pigs tramping on the feed and rooting the ground. Better to take the pigs ofif for a few days until the ground is dried out. Special Care of Boars A boar about a year old will have developed four large tusks. These it is necessary to remove to prevent him doing damage to the other animals and to the attendant. After removal, these tusks should be cut twice each year as they continue growing out. The quickest and easiest method of removing tusks is as follows : Place the hog beside a stout fence post, insert a rope in his mouth and tie it tightly over the upper jaw. Then, the head can be put closely in position against the post. With a pair of strong nippers or sharp pinchers similiar to those a blacksmith uses, the tusks can be quickly removed. It is cruel and unnecessary to knock out tusks with a cold chisel. Old boars should be carefully watched as to the condition of their hoofs. It is necessary to trim their feet, and this is best done by the use of the nippers and a rasp. If their skin becomes harsh and scurfy, it can be treated with an appHcation of one-third crude oil and two- thirds warm water; for a mixture of one-third kerosene to about two-thirds machine oil. The Machine with the Knife and Plate that CUTS Meat and Food "ENTERPRISE" Meat-and-Food Chopper X The *Enterprise' Steel Knife and Perforated Plate -«S=- TINNED ■=©& 56 The "ENTERPRISE" Meat-and-Food Chopper Is Best For Cutting Sausage and Scrapple Meat THE "ENTERPRISE" Meat and Food Chopper has a knife and plate that actually cuts — like the butcher's sharp cleaver — chopping clean, without stringi- ness, and does not squeeze, mangle, tear or rend the meat or food, but preserves the flavor-giving juices. The four-bladed, keen-edged steel knife rotates against a perforated steel plate giving the true shearing cut that ^'slices'" all meat or food into uniform tiny particles. Easily taken apart and cleaned. "ENTERPRISE" Meat-and-Food Chopper for permanent attachment to table or block. Large family size and sizes especially for butchers, market men, farmers, poultrymen, hotels, restaurants and public institutions. No. 1 2 Chops 3 Pounds Minute $2.25 No. 22 Chops 4 Pounds Minute 4.00 No. 32 Chops 5 Pounds Minute 5.00 One standard plate, ^ inch holes, and one knife supplied with chopper; other size plates are obtain- able for coarser or finer cutting. 57 FamUy Size "ENTERPRISE " Meat-and-Food Chopper This style can be instantly attached to table by means of thumb-screw clamp Reduces Cost of Living in the Home Make dainty dishes from left-over meats and foods of all kinds. Enables housewives to serve fish, fowl and vege- tables of every de- scription in new and attractive forms. ~ '^^^.f Small Family Size, No. 5— $1.75 Weight, 4%^ pounds Chops I/2 pounds per minute Supplied with one knife and two plates xe and % inch holes Large Family Size, No. 10— $2.50 Weight, 8% pounds Chops 3 pounds per minute All parts standardized and quickly replaced. Your dealer can supply you. Cook Book for 4 cents in stamps — the "Enter- prising Housekeeper," giving economical ways to prepare breakfast, dinner and supper dishes; 200 tested recipes and housekeeping hints. THE ENTERPRISE MFG. CO. of PA. DEPT. B, PHILADELPHIA 58 The Machine with the Corrugated Spout that Prevents Air from Entering the Cas- ing, Assuring Preservation of Sausage "ENTERPRISE" Sausage Stuffer Lard and Fruit Press 59 The Sausage Stuffer That Gives Perfect Satisfaction IN its design and manufacture the "ENTERPRISE" Sausage Stuffer not only ensures the highest efficiency in operation, but saves time and labor in the stuffing of sausage and the pressing of lard. Better Sausage Sausage stuffed with the "ENTERPRISE" is better preserved, for no air can enter the sausage casing because of the corrugations in the spout of the Sausage Stuffer. This Corrugated Spout is found only in the "ENTERPRISE." Iron Cylinder Bored True The iron cylinder is bored true to 1-1000 part of an inch, from top to bottom, there- fore the plunger plate can't bind or jam. This careful fitting prevents breakage. The accurately fitted gears, and long handle make easy turning. The tin cylinder, or strainer for lard mak- ing, has two broad lips. This makes it easy to handle when filled with hot cracklings, 60 prevents burning the fingers, and gives a "safe grip" w^hen lifting. This "ENTERPRISE" Stuffer is quickly coverted into a Fruit Press and is found exceedingly useful for making wines and jellies from berries and many other fruits. The spout supplied with the machine has /€ inch outlet; other sizes /^, 3^ and % inch are obtainable. All parts of the "ENTERPRISE" Sausage Stuffer, Lard and Fruit Press are standard- ized: — quickly and easily replaced in case of accident. You will find the "ENTERPRISE" at most every hardware store. Made in 9 sizes and styles. I^" Tinned "^1 or Japanned. PRICES JAPANNED No. 5 — Two Quarts, Rack $3.75 No. 15 — Two Quarts, Screw 4.50 No. 25 — Four Quarts, Screw 5.50 No. 31 — Six Quarts, Screw 6.25 No. 35— Eight Quarts, Screw 7.00 TINNED No. 20 — Two Quarts, Screw $5.25 No. 30 — Four Quarts, Screw 6.75 No. 32— Six Quarts, Screw 8.00 No. 40 — Eight Quarts, Screw 9.00 61 "ENTERPRISE" New Grist Mills GRIND Corn, Wheat, Rye, Coffee, Salt, and Bark. The Mills have grinders warranted equal to steel — quickly ad- justed by thumb screw for all degrees of grinding. All parts made of best material by skilled labor, ensuring "ENTERPRISE Quality." No. 5o-$3.oo Parts are standardized DIMENSIONS J • 1 1 1 1 • Height; 1254 inches aucl quicRly replaccd in Length, l^i inches „ . . Width, 5 inches P^