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Show SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT OF FALL PIG CROP INVOLVES COMFORTABLE QUARTERS : : . ''' - .. ; - -,'. " ; '.. .,. - :j ( i . . . .v;;- ' ; ; , . ' , ? " Produce More Pork by Increasing the Maternity Record Per Litter. (Prepared by the Unifed Stales Department Depart-ment of Agriculture.) If every farmer in the United Slates who raises hogs and approximately 75 per cent of the six million seven hundred thousand odd American farmers farm-ers do raise hogs would decrease mortality to the extent of one pig to the litter, the annual increase in the crop of young squealers would be 5,-025,000 5,-025,000 head. If they were all raised and marketed market-ed at 250 pounds apiece, the yearly , increase in pork production would he 1.250.250,000 pounds. According to the United States department of agriculture, agri-culture, experienced and careful hog growers raise about seven pigs out of each litter, while the average pork producer pro-ducer raises only four. Thus, between farrowing and marketing, there is a loss of three pigs a litter on the average aver-age farm. Successful management of the fall hog crop , involves careful feeding of the sows previous to farrowing, comfortable com-fortable sanitary quarters for the dams during farrowing, careful attention not to overfeed the sows snd thus induce digestive disorders among t lie young pigs, and efforts to develop in the pigs a large, b"ny framework rather than the fat. Adequate housing which thoroughly shelters the porkers, young and old, against wind, rain, sleet and snow, is essential and, despite de-spite high prices of building material, it should be provided if not already available. Although feeds are high in nice it is necessary to feed the sow ntid pigs both adequately and well. Fortunately, the price of pork on the hoof is such as to render the "two squares and plenty of filler a day" a profitable investment. Sanitary Surrounding for Sows. Dry, well-ventilated quarters, which have been disinfected and cleaned up for the recfljtion of the pig crop, should be provided for every sow w hich Is to arrow. A guard rail, made of 2 by 4-inch pieces set four inches from the sides of the pen and about fen inches above the bed, should be provided in order to prevent injury to the pigs. An attendant should be accessible, ac-cessible, particularly In cold weather, in order to assist the sow and, if necessary, nec-essary, to rescue the pigs from freezing. freez-ing. Before the pigs are placed with their mother the eight back, tusk-like teeth should be cut off with bone forceps for-ceps or wire nippers. Care must be taken to not injure the jaw bone. Give tht! sow plenty of warm water after farrowing, but do not feed her for the first 24 hours unless necessary, and then provide a thin slop of bran and middlings. The sow should lie fed lightly for the next four or five days and should not be put on full feed again until the pigs are about ten days old. Aim to feed the sow ln such a i manner that the pigs will develop rap idly and will prosper from birth until weaning time. Make Gains Rapidly. Handle the pigs so that they will gain in weight as rapidly as possible. The modern hog is a meat-making machine ma-chine of wonderful efliciency when kept running smoothly and evenly j from birth to marketing. When the pigs are about three weeks old a creep should be arranged whj'e they can have access to feeds away from the other hogs. The best feed to use at this time is shell corn in a self-feeder. When the pigs are about six weeks old it is generally advisable to place another an-other self-feeder in the inclosure, in which shorts, middlings, tankage, or fish meal are placed. It is advisable not to wean the pigs before they are ten weeks of age or over. When the pigs are weaned gradually reduce the feed of the sow. This will have a tendency to dry tip the flow of milk and the pigs will be weaned and scarcely know it. Give them access all the time to the self-feeder containing contain-ing the above feeds. If this method is followed they will notice practically no difference at weaning time and will never be stunted in their growth. Jack Frost a Foe. It is more difficult to raise pigs in the winter than in the summer, due to the cold weather as well as to the fact that the animals h-tve to be kept indoors in-doors so much of the time. Extreme variations in temperature are liable tt Induce colds and even cause the development devel-opment of pneumonia. The careful ; breeder should practice every precau- i tion to protect his young pig crop against disease. He should keep plenty of charcoal before the hogs at all times and should provide them with condition powders if necessary. A charcoal mixture of one bushel of charcoal, one bushel of hardwood ashes, eight pounds of salt, four pounds of air-slaked lime, four pounds of sulphur and two pounds of pulverized pulver-ized copperas makes a fine mixture of mineral matter. The lime, salt and sulphur should be mixed thoroughly, and then combined with the charcoal and ashes. Dissolve the copperas in one quart of hot water and sprinkle the solution over the whole mass, mixing mix-ing it thoroughly. |
