The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-10-19
FATTENiNG HOGS.
REST AGE FOR FATTENiNG.

Whatever may % sdiu VI obbSA oSS
tions Of our country, spring pigs are
the best for New England. The should
be Uttered about the first OF March,
taken from the mother the last week IN
April, when the early calves are sold,
aud the milk from the cows IS beginning
to be plenty. If the supply from the
dairy is sufficient, they will need little
or no meal until the milk begins to
shrink in August, and then tattenlng
should at once commence, and be con-
tipued till the last of November, or the
first of December, when If the pigs are
a thrifty herd and the farmer has done
his best during the summer, litter OF
six or eight ought TO aver sc at least
three hundred pounds. Wlntercd hogs
would weigh at the same time from fifty
to one hundred pounds more, but the
additional weight would he at the cost
of constant care during the winter, and
grain continually fed from December TO
NAV, both making tho cost OF the pork
per pound from two to four cents higher
than if made from spring pigs.
recent experiment carefully con-
Quoted made the cost of litter of four
hogs killed at thirteen months old when
compared with litter of pigs killed ut
nine months, as thirteen to ten.
BEST TINE FOR FATTENING.
The best time is in the months of
September, October and November and
the worst in December, January, and
February. A certain amount of food is
needful to keep the animal warm when
the thermometer is at zero. All this Is
saved when.it stands between thirty and
sixty degrees. In addition TO this, tho
absolute loss of food by freezing to the
spout and trough, and the inevitable
mixing with snow and slush, is never
less Ordinarily than five per cent, not
to say anything about the trouble and
cost of continually thawing frozen swill,
and bringing it to the temperature that
it will be most acceptable 10 the unCom-
Portable and semi-tOrpid animal
MODES OF FATTENING.
Not few farmers feed corn in the ear,
and some even raw potatoes, TO their
fattening swine. One half would pro-;
badly be an under estimate of the loss
by this easiest but most slovenly and
costly practice.
large number mix dry meal with
cold water or slOps, and immediately
feed it to their hogs. The loss in this
case is hot as much as in feeding tine
corn unground, but it cannot be less
than from fifteen to twenty five per
cent.
Still others cook their meal with their
potatoes, both thoroughly, completely
mixing the one with the other, and then
adding to the coDglomerate water suif-
cient TO make thick mush, present 1t
to the gratilied and hearty eaters, there
by saving nearly all the fat producing
value contained in the grain and the po-
tatoes
For several years wc have adopted
this plan. Everything fed To our hogs,
while fattening, is cooked, but nothing
is ground. To one bushcl and half of
potatoes (mashed) we add three pecks
of dry corn in the kernel, and then with
a liberal supply of water III Kettle
almost steam-tight, we cook for Mt
least three hours. The kernels are then
three or four times their original size
and the potatoes are mush, and when
thoroughly mixed the dish is as accent
able as can be presented to lot OF fat
tening hogs. And as every particle of
the food is (or can be) reduced TO paste
by the slightest masjicatioD, much moro
by the action of the stomach, there can
be little If any loss.
The advantages are that you save the
time of taking your grain to the mill,
the toll, and having your grain always
at hand in q proper condition to use;
there is steadiness about the food that
is one of the main elements OF success
in feeding fattening animals.
An addition of few quarts Ofrye and
en- occasional peek of oats, making a
little variety, is always a judicious plan;
either of which are as easily cooked rs
heavier and larger'kernels of corn.
CLEANLINESS AND COMFORT.
To fatten well, hogs must have clean
pen aud comparable nest. An addi-
ton Of muck or mould or dry leaves
should be made to the yard at least
twice in each week, and the bed should
have special attention so often as every
Stner night. Wading reund up to their
ool'es In mud Is very Improbable bus
mess Tor an animal upon which we are
anxious TO place as chcaply as possible
the largest amOuAt OF fat; while nights,
WON CUT IN the restleSSnrss that wet
stInw OF wet earth always makes ineyi. |
taoie' are not especially conducive TO |
the same desirable end. U.or,b ,n3
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