Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1919 — The Neighborhood Corner [ARTICLE]

The Neighborhood Corner

Department of Farm Welfare Conducted by County Agent Stewart Learning.

Completes Feeding Trial That a ration of corn and tankage for hogs is a profitable and practical scheme of feeding is the conclusion of Erhardt Wuerthrfer of Newton township, who has recently completed a feeding trial on his farm. This trial did not receive official supervision and the' results are printed as reported by Mr. Wuerthner: 19 pigs, farrowed between August 15 and 20, 1918, were used in the trial. The sows were fed corn and tankage until the pigs were weaned on October 15, when the pigs were weaned and placed on a grass lot on l corn. Tankage and water. The pigs were sold on February 18 at $16.50 per cwt., the average weight being 181 pounds. The feed record is as follows: Corn fed sows 20 hu. Corn fed pigs 190 bu. Total corn fed 210 bu. Total tankage feed (low grade) 400 bu. Cost of tankage $18.40 Selling price of bogs $557.43 Return from 210 bu. corn.. $539.03 Return per bu. corn.., $2.56 With corn at $1.20 iper bushel the profit per hog would be $15.10. While, as a cost of production record, this report is somewhat incomplete, not taking into account the total cost of feeding the brood sows, the interest and depreciation on lots, hogs and feeding equipment, the return shown* by the report are adequate to illustrate the point that hog feeding is profitable when similar rations—are used. The use of a ration of corn and tankage is being adopted by more farmers each year and it is only a question of time when this system will be a universal practice.

• Beekeepers Meet March 10 President Frank Foltz has called a meeting of all the beekeepers of the county which will be held in the courthouse at 1:30 Monday, March«lo. Mr. E. G. Baldwin of the department of entomology will be present again and take up a discussion of sipring and summer management of the apairy. Professor Baldwin made many friends among the beekeepers when he met with them here last fall and a promise can be made that no one will be disappointed in him. , Mr. Foltz especially desires that the women and children of tbe county also attend this meeting as beekeeping fits in as a side line which may be handled very nicely by them.

Livestock Men Submit Program The county livestock committee has submitted the following program

of work which it expects to develop in the county this season as a factor in increasing livestock profits. 1. Self feeder demonstrations— A series of demonstrations of the use of the self feeder as a means of reducing the cost of pork production. Joseph Kolhoff has agreed to secure demonstrators in Carpenter, Milroy, Marion and Newton townships; Alfred Duggleby in Kankakee, Walker, Gillam townships; George Hellman in Wheatfield and Keener. Self feeder plans will be furnished through the county agent’s office. The committee will arrange with the local dealers for a carload of tankage, the farmers to get the material off the car and to pay the dealer for this trouble. 2. Demonstrations in hogging ff corn and soybeans, to determine the value of hogging off these crops over hand feeding. • 3. Pure-bred sales. The committee will ask the president of the County Livestock Breeders’ association to hold a. special meeting of the organization on April 26 to consider the advisability of holding a pure-bred livestock sale this fall. 4. A livestock survey. The committee will undertake to find out how many farmers are using purebred sires of all classes of stock, and a list of those not using purebred sires. Men not using bred sires will be urged to use them and assistance will be given in locating good sires. 5. A livestock tour—A recommendation that the livestock association conduct a livestock tour during the summer. 6. Livestock show—A livestock show will be held next fall. 7. Community building The committee recommended that steps be taken to construct a community building suitable for public gatherings, shows, sales and meetings of all kinds. The livestock program isone of several adopted at the general meeting last Tuesday. Other programs will be published as space permits.