The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-03-17
CARE OF YOUNG PIGS IN WINTER.

W e copy Ilt 10OWl1B from llp American Agrl
culturist for February:
1t seems to be generally admitted that the stock
of pigs in the United States is unusually light. AT
any rate, pork brings a very high price, and this
fact, in the face of tight money market, is pretty
conclusive evidence that the supply is not equal to
the demand. II is not improbable that farmers
will make, or have already made, an unusual effort
to raise large number of pigs next spring, and if
we have good corn crop next year, we may see
a marked decline in pork trade in the winter OF
1s10-l. But the indications now are that pork will
be in demand through the coming summer and
early autumn. and we should make it point to
have pigs in such high condition that we can
avail ourselves of the high prices. Every farmer
who has a litter of fall pigs should see to it that
they are kept growing rapidly through the present
winter, and during next spring and summer. A
wel-bred fall pig can easily and pro1itaby he made
TO dress $50 or 300 pounds at ten months old. But
TO accomplish this it is absolutely essential that
the pigs be provided with comfortable quarters
through the winter and are furnished with liber-
al and regular supply of nutritious food. We do
not advocate fattening pigs during our northern
winters. but VIC do most earnestly advocate keep
ing Foung pigs growing vigorously. SO far as our
observation extends, half our farmers do little more
than keep their Young pigs alive during the winter
Whatever food the young pigs eat is lost. They
do not gain a pound, and they are so Stuntcd that
half the summer is past before they get into a thirty
ing condition. No wonder such farmers say pigs
don't pay" Pigs kept warm dry, and comfortable
through the winter, with food enough to keen
them nearly fat, will, when spring cornoas grow
with great rapidity on food but Htue better than
that when Is ordinarily given TO store pigs at that
season and so all through the summer, the effect
Of the good food and treatment i'll winter Will be
very decided. With the run of good clover past
ARE, and the wash from the house and dairy, with
pint or so of corn day these Woll-Wintered Nigs
will gain rapidly, and Will at any time be ready for
the butcher No matter what the price of pork
may be, we satisfied, from experience and oh
servation, that if pigs are kept at all, the only
profitable way is to keep them well. They may
not always pay, but the liberal feeder has better
chance of getting his money back than The farmer
who half starves his pigs 1t is true that one of
the objects Of keeping pigs is that they may eat
food that would otherwise be wasted and we would
not be understood as advocating anything incon-
sstent with this idea. If possible, however, the
''seayengers of the barnyard' should be tull-grown
breeding soWS. Young, growing pigs whether in
tended for breeding purposes for fattening for
the butcher should never be left entirey to chance
food that they can pick up. Let them have the run
Of the yards III winter, and pick up all the food
they can find, but never suffer them to depend on
this alone, unless there is abundant evidence that
they can find all they need. Farmers should have
pair of platform scales and weigh their pigs oc-
casionally, and they would then ascertain whether
their pigs were receiving good treatment and a
proper amount of food. We have lust weighed
some, at four months old, that averaged so pounds
each. They ought to be so fed through the winter
to gain - pounds month, and, as they get older
and the weather gets warmer, they should gain a
pound day; and when summer comes, with
milk and clover, and little corn meal, they should
gain IL pounds a day; and for the last month or
six weeks before killing, they should gain nearly ,
pounds day. We know that this can be done
and we also feel certain that at the present price
of pork and grain, branch Of farming affords a
greater profit than liberal feeding of well bred
pigs. Next to liberal feeding, dry, warm pen is
of the greatest importance. Better have Il good
pen, constructed that neither wind, nor rain.
nor snow can enter; but in the absence of such a
pen, the farmer is ineXcusable who does not con-
triye some plan for keeping his pigs warm and
comfortable. If made of boards, few laths can
be used us batens to stop up the cracks. We have
seen pigs shivering in pen close to heap of
stable litter, where half an hours labor with a
fork would have made the pen comfortable. No
matter how the snow and wind are kept out. Any
thing that will stop up the cracks will answer.
With litter OF cornstaks a rail pen may easily be
made comfortable. We repeat-feed the young
pigs well this winter, keep them growing rapidly
in spring, and then, next summer autumn, you
can avail yourselves of the unusual demand there
will probably be for good pork. Neglect the pigs
this winter, and the probabilities are that your
pigs will not be ready to kill before the price has
declined. Recollect that, in any case, whether
prices decline or not. liberal feeding is profit
able than starvation diet for six months and
afterwards a surfeit of corn.