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Show PORTABLE FARROWING HOUSE IN FAVOR : iJ Berkshire Sow With Litter. In order to glvo tho pigs the right kind ot a start In life, they must bo born under good conditions. It the brood sows can have their way they, will slip off to the woods when ready to farrow, pile up a lot ot leaves at the sldo of a stump or In a fenco corner cor-ner and here the pigs will be born In tho open air., This procedure Is all right In warm weather, but In tho spring wbn cold, wet weather prevails pre-vails much ot the time, a largo loss Is sustained when the pigs come amid such surroundings, writes W. K. Pur-' due In Successful Farming. Hogs ara so poorly protected by nature against the cold that warm, dry quarters aro a necessity for tho sowb that farrow early In tho season, or so many of tho 'pigs will bo lost that most ot tho profit Is gono in tho beginning. The loss of young pigs every ppring Is enormous, though It Is largely preventable. pre-ventable. All farmers who are waiting wait-ing until they aro able to build a fine, big hog houso, with all modern conveniences, con-veniences, nro making a mistake Thoso men should do tho beat they can at once and provido such shelter' as will bo dry, warm and well lighted. Tho portable 'typo of farrowing' houso has rapidly como Into favor lately, even with 'those who aro well able to provide more expensive quarters. quar-ters. Tho A-shaped building Is a very serviceable type of the portable house, that commends Itself to many farm-, era who are engaged In the hog business busi-ness on a largo scale. It Is warm at all seasons and It may easily bo kept' In a sanitary condition. Two men can movo it to a now location In a few mlnutos and thus It does not become be-come Infested with rata or hos houso. anions, 'ino slopping ana teeaing .aro always done outsldo, hence tho floor never becomes wet and filthy. Thesa bouses are just tho thing for nervous cows, as they can be located so aa to bo out of tho hearing of other sowa and pigs. r For tho man who rents, tho portable, bouso Is very advantageous, since It can be roadlly moved. Ho can well afford to construct portable houses at I bis own expense, If hlB landlord will 'not provide thqm, slnco he can retain them as personal property when ho moves. Theso houses need not cost much. One can be mado out of good materials for from four to Ave dollars. Any farmer who can handle a hammer and saw with any degree of skill at all, can construct those buildings during dur-ing spare time and thus save tho targe wages demanded 'by carpenters. Houses 6 by 6 feet at the base are large eoough for young sows, whtlo they Bhould be made 6 by 8 feat for the large sows. Floors aro not essential essen-tial It tho bouses aro located on a feign, dry site that provides perfect drainage. In cold weather a swinging door should be provided; a pleco ot .heavy canvas may be used for this purpose. There Is an opening tor ven. tllatlon at tho back of the house. Tho bows should bo placed In their Individual quarters at loast a week boforo duo to farrow, In order that they may become nccustomod to their new surroundings. Quietness and but llttlo feed nro needed by tho sow for' tho first 24 hours after farrowing; water with tho chill removed and a llttlo middlings stirred In It Is all that sho needs In any caso. It Is not desirable! de-sirable! to start tho milk of tho sow i too rapidly, as It might bo more than tho little pigs would need, and If It ! Is not all drawn out or tho udder It Is 1 llablo .to congest and pause- trouble, not only to tho sow but to the pigs. It roqulros caution, thorofpro, In tho. start not to push tho sow with feed that will start tho milk too rapidly. If tho Utter Is a small ono, moro time should be taken In getting tho sow on full feed than otherwise. Hut tho do- Imands of tho pigs will Increase every day and It will not bo long until they wlil bo (iWo to tako about nil tho I milk their raothor. will furnish fron tho bcflt quality of feed. Caro must bo taken not to overfeed. A practice! motliod of feeding n sow with youne plga Is to nllow her at regular tlmea, night and morning, foot what slws will et perfectly clean and stni want a little moro. This method of feeding will retain tho I bow'b appotlto and keep her In a good I healthy condition. Tho bow does not demand a fMteolne feid, ouch as an I all corn ration, but sho requires a 1 mtlk-pnodooing pi-oteln rotlon. Tho 1 farmer wtoo produces a largo quantity quan-tity of eprwtor skim milk dally, has I ono of tho bait feeds for sows wtlh young Hgb to bo found, when the milk I 13 comWnod with ground grain's and mixed Into a thick slop. Access to a I Crowing posturo will help jrently to keop th sow's bowels regular ns well as adding to her appetlto and assist, lng In the furnishing of milk for tho ;plgs. Clean kitchen slops are all right 'for the sows, too, but caro must bo taken that no spoiled fruits or vegetables vege-tables ara put Into the slop, tor these are pretty euro to result In diarrhoea 'or scours In the pigs, and thero may be some loss before corrective reme. dies can be administered. Ono ot the best of these, after the error In diet has been corrected, la to give the sow 'In her slop twelve to fifteen grains of copperas night and morning; It neces, sary, slightly Increase tho slzo ot tho doses until effective. Provide dry bedding for tho pigs, and In good weather they should follow fol-low tho sow around In order to get tho exerclso which they need. In bad weather tho pigs will probably remain In their beds, drawing plenty ot milk,, and they will then become too fat, which condition is likely to be fob lowed by the thumps. Thumps Is a condition brought on by a fatty growth about tho heart and lungs, and It Is fatal In a largo percentage ot cases. Even though It does not prove fatal, It always results In a decided setback for tho afflicted plm at tho time and fora considerable while afterwards. It must be guarded, agalnBt, first, by not overfeeding the sow, and second, by forcing the pigs to take exercise It they will not take It qf their own volition. As long as the weather remains bad, thus keeping keep-ing the pigs In their quarters, they should be stirred up and forced to scurry around for 15 to 20 minutes every day. |