The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-10-14
Fattening Hogs.

The length of time required for fatten-
ing hogs Is from three to five months, de-
pendent upon the feeders means, the
breed he adopts and the attention he be-
slows upon them, as also to the amount of
judgment brought to the assistance of the
work. When hogs are first put up they
should be in moderate condition, not con-
fined until they are so, and the food should
be somewhat better than that on which
they have already fed, but not at once in too
great degree. 1t should be improved step
by step, till the digestive powers arc
adapted for that of the most nutritious
quality with which the fattening is to be
completed; er-gorging is sure to cause
Indigestion and the only remedy for this
is abstinence 1t is essential that pigs be
fed at regular intervals. Any animal fed
regularly thrives better than those fed at
irregular intervals, and 'where the diet is
varied and not administered to safety, the
process is accompanied with profitable re-
suits. The best period to commence fat
tening is in the autumn; then almost every
kind of food is to be had in plenty, as well
as in perfection the weather is neither
too hot nor too cold; and the humidity
generally prevalent at this season acts ben
officially upon the skin and tissues, and as
it were lubricateS the whole animal econ
omy. Besides, they are ready TO be
slaughtered at the period when this can
be done with most advantage, when the
lOwnesS of the temperature allows more
time and consequently enables the owner
to turn the flesh to the greatest adj
vantage; whereas in warm weather the
meat must be salted or picked, eaten or
disposed of Immediately, Or it turns off
g Tbo l. L. Of N<Nl fo,.
fattening pigs are pasturage u clover or
lucerne, or a run iii the COZ icld immcdi-
ately after the crop has becl taken in.
Milk or whey mixed with corn Dat, barley
or pea-mcal, alone or in correction with
each other or with boiled and mashed
potatoes. Peas given whole, or crushed,
or in the form of soup and either alone or
mixed with potatoes or meal Potatoes
and rice; potatoes and meal of any of the
above kinds, or mashed potatoes and
whole grain.
A small portion of salt should always be
mingled in whatever food given, as it
tends to stimulate the appetite as well as
the digestive functions; it will also be
found advantageous occasionally to adj
minister little sulphur or powdered anti
| mony, say about once or twice month
these tend to purify the blood, as also TO
facilitate digestion and maintain the appe-
| tiic Small meals and many of them are
preferable to few and large ones, for swine
are apt to ovcreat and gorge themselves,
| or, if any be left in the trough to return
| to it by fits and starts until it is all gone
in both cases the digestive functions are i'm
paired and tire process is not fully and
beneticially performed. Regular hours OF
feeding should be strictly observed pigs
| soon learn TO expect their meals at certain
hours, and their StOmachs being ready fol
it, indigestion follows irregularity and pre-
vents much benefit being derived from the
meal when it docs come.
In the opinion of the writer the most
| economical and advantageous form in
which grain can be used is that Of meal
moistened with sour or SIX i'm milk or water
into a kind of soup or porridge. Some
authorities recommend when mixing with
| water the proportion of five bushels OF
| meal to hundred gallons of water, the
mixture to be stirred several times a day
for two or three weeks, until an imperfect
| fermentation takes place, and 1t becomes
asccScent. In this state its fattening pow
| ers are claimed to be greatly increased
Says one who has pursued this method in
q large way. "The difference in profit
| between feeding in this manner and Civ
ing the grain whole, is very great, so great
| that whoever tries it once, will not be apt
To change it for the common method.
Hogs put up to fatten, highly fed and tax
ing little exercise are very liable to acidity
| of the stomach. C'LcdrcOlS matters remedy
this evil and are found in occasional feeds
| of ashes, cindcr or earth which the ami
mails champ and swallow. Too many pigs
| should not be fed in the same pen; three
are sufficient and they should be as near
as possible of the same age.-American
Stock Journal