The Ronan Pioneer

Not Advisable to Glut Hog Market
Breeders Cautioned Against Possibility of Big Oversupply.

Colorado Agricultural College Extension Service Report

Any material increase in the number of hogs in the United States is liable to result in burdensome supplies of pork in 1933 and 1934, unless there is a marked increase in consumer demand at home and abroad.

Hogs are low in price, and growers must decide wisely how many sows to breed. Apparently an increase, even in eastern Colorado, is justified only where conditions are favorable to low production costs.

It is good practice to use enough boars so that sows will be bred within narrow date limits, in order to assure a uniform pig crop.

When corn is worth 17 cents a bushel and hogs $2.50 per 100 pounds, the corn-hog ratio is 14.7. Normally the corn-hog ratio is 11.3. Any ratio above that normal is favorable to the hog feeder, since corn brings a higher price fed to hogs than when sold.

To find the corn-hog ratio divide the price of hogs per 100 pounds by the price of corn per bushel.

Supplies of hogs available for slaughter in the next seven months are somewhat smaller than a year ago. Abundant cheap feed in the corn belt is likely to result in heavier hogs going to market this fall and winter, and the saving of more sows and gilts for breeding in the fall.

The number of hogs slaughtered reached a new high record in September. The spring pig crop was 7 per cent lower than a year ago and 4 per cent under the 5-year average, but there is a slight increase in the number of sows to farrow this fall compared to last year.

Cold storage supplies of pork, beef, poultry, lamb and mutton are smaller than usual. Exports of pork and lard continue at low levels as a result of an upward trend in European hog production.