The Rural Voice, 1983-04, Page 54(FARMATIC)
STRIKING BACK
Hog Raising - 1881
by Detonator Dan
Large scale hog raising was not
generally carried on in Ontario prior to
1881. Only in Kent and Essex counties,
where a supply of corn existed, did the
production of pork go beyond family
needs.
The Agriculture Commission Report
written in 1881 did not. therefore, reveal
a great deal of information about pigs.
A Mr. Anderson of Puslinch put the
matter correctly when he commented "I
consider it profitable to raise pigs for
breeding, but not for butchering; fur-
ther, coarse grains can be better ap-
plied than feeding them to hogs."
A few of the breeds named included
Berkshires, Essex and Windsor -Poland
China. Mr. Snell, a pig breeder of some
15 years, preferred the Berkshire. but
also raised Yorkshires and Suffolks.
(Yes, the book reports "Suffolk" to be a
breed of hogs.) He comments that a
year-old Berkshire will beat the Suffolk
by nearly 100 pounds and the meat will
be more marbled.
The Berkshire matures earlier and can
be fattened to 200-225 pounds at eight
months. Mr. Snell also allowed that
young pigs should be fed milk, slops
and shorts, with peas used for fat-
tening.
Alanson Elliot of Essex county sug-
gested that he finds the hog industry
profitable at $6. per cwt. and would not
even lose at $5. per cwt.
Much of the pork was packed in
Aylmer, Ontario, especially since a
major Windsor packer had failed. (So,
there were business failures even 100
years ago!)
Farms of 100 acres would keep about
40 hogs, marketing about 20 per year.
Essex and Kent counties sold about
100,000 bushels of corn per year to the
distillers, with the remainder being fed
to hogs.
Wm. Davies of Toronto was the most
extensive packer in Canada. His supply
came from the western states, as too
few hogs were raised in Ontario. Bet-
ween 1870 and 1880 he killed and
packed 50,000 hogs. He preferred a hog
ranging from 160-240 pounds live
weight. The hog had to be well fed,
long and lean, but not thin. The type
described as desirable was the old
"racer" crossed with Berkshire.
-
The Commission Report said the
racer" or "alligator" hog was a some-
what modified hog with a long snout
and long legs He had chiefly been
notorious in the past for "somewhat
predatory inclinations in which he has
been assisted by long limbs, great
activity of motion, and a snout that was
said to fall short of the truly useful and
meritorious if it failed to reach the
second row of corn through a snake rail
fence!"
Apparently, many hogs were but-
chered at the farm and then sold into
the market place. The movement was to
shipping live hogs to market and I am
sure you will see why after reading the
next paragraph, taken from the report.
"The hogs are farm dressed in the
winter and frozen. The carcasses are
then taken to the country stores and
piled up like cordwood where they are
gnawed by dogs, cats and rats. They
are covered with dust and dirt, are
pitched about with not much more care
than cordwood, are kept in a country
warehouse for two or three weeks,
sometimes months, and are then
brought to market by railroad and by
the time they reach us (the packer) they
are more like carrion than human food!"
In conclusion, Davies said "if I could
get a steady supply of Canadian hogs,
200 - 300 per week, I would be quite
willing to give considerably more for
them than for American hogs."
Next month we consider the Commis-
sion's evidence as it relates to spring
planting. Do the names Black Main and
White Australian ring a bell? E
Detonator Dan fa pseudonym as you
may have guessed] is a practising
farmer in the boondocks of Colborne
Township, Huron County.
Farrowing pens
Farm gates
Hand railing
Lathe work
Hog confinement
Repairs to all kinds
of small engines
and chain saws
LUCKNOW
CUSTOM WELDING &
SMALL ENGINE REPAIR
Box 357 Ross St.
Lucknow, Ont. 528-3835
Now is the time
to look seriously
at a FARMATIC Feed System
Let Lowry Farm Systems
show you how you can pay for
your grain bin and mix mill in
2-3 years
.' 1.
01 `V 94440
S4tem4 Ord.
At Ambsrley
IR. R. 111, Klneardlrsl Pham 395-5286
THE RURAL VOICE, APRIL 1983 PG. 51