The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-11-03
F~attening Hogs.

The lengthzof time required for fat
0ning hogs is from three to five
Slonths dependent upon the breed be
adopts and the attention he bestows
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 con-
dition, not confined until they are so,
the food then should be somewhat bet
ter to that on which they have already
fed, but not at once in too great a de-
greer it should be improved step by
step, till the digestive organs are
adopted for that of the most nutri-
tious 4urality with which the fatten-
ing is to, be completed; .over-gorging
is sure TO cause indigestion, and, the
only remedy for this is abstinence,
tits essential that pigs be fei at
regular intervals. any animal fed reg
ularly thrives better than those fed at
irregular intervals, and where the di
etsis varied and not administered; to
safety, the process is ace pmpanied
with profitable results. The best pc
Rod to commence fatt4ping is. il the
autumns then almost every kIpHi Of
food is to be had in plenty, as wall as
in 1perfeetiona the weather is. neither
too.hotnor too cold; and the humidity
generally prevalent at this season acts
beautifully upon the skin ard tissues,
and asit were imbricates the whole
animal economy . Besides they are
ready to be slaughtered at the period
when this can be done with most ad-
vantage, when. the lowness of the TEN
p~eratnre allows more time and con
sequently enables the owner to tuIn
the flesh toe the. greatest advantage;
whereas in warm weather the meat
must be safted or picked, eaten or
disposed of Immediately, OF it turns
off and is spoiled. The best kind o,
food for ~fattenins pigs are pasturage
onscloSerrer ince9ne; or a run in the
cornfield Immediately after the crop
has. been taken in. Milk Or whey
mixed withCcofn, oat, barley ore pea
meal, alone, or in connection with
each other or with boiled and mashed
potatoes Peas given whole, or crush
ed, 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
p~otatoesiand whole grain
A small portion oil salt should al
waysgbe mingled in whatever food
given, as it tends to stimulate the ap-
petite rs well as the digestive fune-
lions; it will also be found advantage
Gus occasionally to administer a little
sulphur or powdered anthony, say
about ence or twice a month; these
to purify the blood, as also to facili-
tate digestion and maintain the appe-
tite. Small meals and many of them
are preferable to few and large ones,
for swine are very apt to .overeat and
gorge thems elves or, ifany 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 impaired and
the process is not fully and beneficial
ly performed, Regular hours of feed
ing should be, strictly observed; pigs
SOC learn to expect their meals at
certain hours, and their stomachs be-
ing ready for it, indigestion follows II
regularity and prevents much benefit
being derived from the meal when it
does come.
In the opinion of the writer the
mosts,economical and advantageous
form in which grain can be used is
that ofmeal moistened with sour or
skim-milk or water, into a kind of
soup of porridSe. Some authorities.
recommend when mixing with water
the proportion of five bushels ofmeal
to q 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 it becomes ascescent. In this
state It's ffattsning powers are claimed
to be greatly Egreased,. Says one
wing hasT pursued this method in a
large way ~tTiie difference in profit
between feeling il this II and
giving the grain whole, is very great,
so great that whoever tries it once will
rot be apt to change it for the com
mon method" Hogs put up to fatten,
highly fed and taking little exercise
are very liable to acidity of the stom-
ach,i c~alcareous matters remedy this
eva-aad are found in occasional feeds
of ashes, cinder or earth which the
animals champ and swallow. Too ma
ny pigs should not be fed in the same
pen, three are sufficient and they as
near as possible of the. same age