Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-12-02
How TO Treat a Breeding Sow.

Farmers with very little trouble a
have their sows iarrow Just when
they wish them.
A SOW will run four months, less
nine or ten days, from the time she
takes the boar to her time of litter
ing. Sows will vary a little. Old
sows will run longer than young
ones, and some breeds will run long
err than others, but they will not in
any instance vary more than a week
or two. Pigs that come in April
will do to fatten the following fall
September pigs will be large enough
TO stand the cold Of Winter.
In breeding hogs as with all other
stock, to insure the success Of the
breeder, it is necessary to select the
best stock to breed from. In selecting
breeding sows, take those having
fine head and ears, large deep chest,
long between fore and hind legs,
short back and broad body, large
hams and fine, smooth leg and hair
In selecting the male to breed to, the
same points will hold good. An
old sow, like an old COW, will give
more milk than a young one. Hence
it is said that an old sow will have
larger and better pigs than n young
one because they get a bOunteous
supply of that which is most natural
to them, to wit, the milk of their
dam. Therefore if you have an ex-
ira fine breeding SOW do not tatten
her because she is two or three years
old.
The first certain sign ofprcgnancy,
is, a sow will not be in heat, as usual,
after a certain number ofdays. An
| other sign will be she will appear
very quiet. During the second
month, her belly and tanks will be-
gin to enlarge, more or less; and
during the third month, the udder
will begin TO swell, AS soon as 1t
is asccrtained that a sow is in pig,
which will be known between the
l9th and I'D days after taking the
boar, should be fed lightly, and al
lowed plenty OF exercise. She
should run to grass in the Summer
and the ground,
Sows kept for breeding should
neither be starved nor made very
neshv, but should be fed with a view
to the most perfect health and vigor
thcy shoull never be kept ina close
pen but should have sufficient range
for exercise; easy access TO water
with such n variety Of food as Their
instincts shall call for. Deprived OF
animal and other TODD which they
crave, they frequently destroy theil
young, the cravings ofappetite over
coming the mat rnsl instincts wher
properly kept and fed this never oc'
ours.
Pregnant sOws, when within three
or four weeks Of parturition, SHOULD
be separated from the rest ofthe herd
and have a sufficient supply of good
food but should not be fed 80 higl
as to become fat. But she may be
kept too poor the common results o
which viii be, the young will be un'
thrifty. About a week before com.
ing in, commence to decrease hel
food, So flat at the end of the week
it will be reduced from one-half tC
two-thirds.
AS the period Of %farrOwing ap.
proaches, a SOW should have plenty
Of fine straw former bed in cold wca
thcr. Cut straw is preferable but
when it cannot be readily obtained
she may be supplied with long straw
providing it is given her eight or tel
DAYS before farrowing. If the straw
be long. and not broken up fine, til,
young pigs arc liable to get tangled
in il, and be crushed by the sow whel
she lies down,
Little or no food shOnld be givel
the day after farrOwing, and but ligh
feed and plenty of water for severa
DAYS. A pail of swill at this tim
will often prove fatal to a sow. Care
full attention to these suggestions wi
seldom tail to secure wuck" in raii
ing pigs, while a neglect Of most c
all of them will have a tendency
make such a faimer an "unlucky
!, breeder.
After three or four DAYS then con
mence to increase her food daily fC
about a week she then may be fed a
she will cat. The effect Of this wi
be not only seen in the sow, but ais
; in the thrifty growth of the younI
j., Ifasow is not docile, some trust
! person should enter the sly evel
day, and throw her a few kernels
: corn, pieces Of apples, or such lik'
. and endcavor to get near her wit
I ont frightening her. If she is We.
: skittish, it will be neccssarv to speI
more time in the sty while Ghe
: eating and aftcr0 few days, she W
. allow one to stroke her. If Il
: treatment is neglected the disa
= vantage o fhaving a skittish and u
+ tractable SOW will often appei
y when there is no remedy; and I
loss of a part, or the whole Of t
y litter will be the consequence.
"a If the SOW shows any dispositi
~ to eat her pigs, she should be cal
~ fully watched and prevented fro
y doing so. | have a very fine hea
~ Poland and China SOW that had {
vourcd several pigs of other SOY
u and as she was heavy with pigs h
1 self, | expected that when she {
litter she would eat them up as f
as she could get them l watch
of her closely: she walked up to
n, first pig, and very deliberately opt
r. cd her mouth wide to take it
| screamed at her and pho turn
es then upon me. ! continued to MI
az ace her untilshe had to lay down
at have another pig / then got qule
at into the pen and as sow was natur
re ly very gentle | succeeded in getti
CHI the pig to her teats, and so | ct;
RS with her constantly, all the VIII
ne petting heg, and as fact as tho p.
came would divest them of their
oo %tanglemonts and place them at
,ro teats, which they took right hold
sill and before the SOW was aware of
al q material interest was enkindled
he her heart for her offspring. She HI
en- and saVed eight of the tinGst pigs
IN ever saw. They are now over t
NJ weeks old, and the mother feels
u" the affection necessary for them.