The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1873-10-16
Faffeuiag HoKs,

The best time to commence fatteuing is in the
months of September, October and November,
and the worst in December, January and Febru-
| airy. A certain amount of food is needful TO keep
| the animal warm when the thermometer is at
| zero. All this is saved when il stands between
| thirty and sixty degrees. In addition to this,
the 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 aud
| cost of continually thawing frozen swill, and
bringing it TO the temperature that will be most
acceptable to the uncomfortable and semi torpid
animal.
The Eastern method il to commence fattening
by boiling potatoes, pumpkins, apples or other
| vegetables, aud mixing little bran, shorts or
| provender with the cooked vegetables, when hot,
thus thoroughly cooking the meal 1t is then
| placed in Tubes watts, and allowed TO slightly
| ferBent, when it is ready for use. The amount
of meal is gradually increased till near killing
time, when meal well cooked is given alone.
The meal is composed of oats, buckwheat and
corn, or any other coarse grain, or of any two of
them, generally finishing With corn meal alone.
Thus treated, they fatten much faster than
dry corn, and at muchless expense. 1t costs more
labor, but at season when il can be well spared,
and il is well recOmpensed.
The English system is still more diversified.
They use all kinds Of neutrality-suspicious., tur-
nips, carrots, beets, peas beans, barley and oats;
the grain is steamed or ground; the vegetables
cooked and mixed with Stops from the house,
u
clover is cut and mixed with the feed, and almost
every substance Of light cost aud any nutriment
Is nicely prepared and finds ready market in
the nav of the omniyorous hog.
celebrated English breeder gives the follow
ing directions: give them variety of meal, such
as wheat, maize, barley, and whatever is most
convenient to mix together Have it all wetted
with hot water, and sprinkle it with salt. What
is mixed one day is used the next. thus giving |
sufficient time to allow the food slightly to fer |
liz tn faed wifi 10
our winter plan, bat in summer we mix all with |
cold water, and feed with cold food. Between |
meals give them whole maize, and mange wurt-
Eel or swedes cut small, little coal and soil
easionally, and allow them plenty of clean water.
When pigs are put up for faitening We find moth
ing better to feed them with than barley and
maize meal, mixed together into Stops, water
always kept by them, and little mangOld cut
for them occasionally. 1t is very beneficial to
wash and brush them as often as convenient.
This is quickly done by experienced hands, and
will amply repay the tronble, but throughout
the West IL is the practice to feed ear corn in a
dry state 1t is not the best economy, and yet
corn is so easily produced, and it is SO handy to
feed, especially in cold weather; and when the
hogs have been properly summered, and their
teeth and health good, success is so certain that
e VIII Doubtless be long time before it will be
abandoned. Ii the corn was soaked, steamed, OF
ground, il would give you a better return and
4 mixed with cooked vegetables, still better.
rom the western system Of feeding ten bushels
VI corn VIII increase the weight of good hog
me hundred pounds, and sometimes more. So
he comparative value of pork and corn can he
eadily estimated. With the eastern system, it
will do much better when it is fresh.
The very common PRACTICE of leaving guam
ity of food before them constantly, so as to be
ure they have enough, is very wastefnI, and
ery bad policy; 50 is irregular feeding Strict
egularity as to times of feeding, quality and
uantity Of feed, are very desirable. Twice feed
ne each day is. better than three times; but
hatever the number of times adopted, they |
hould be every day alike, and at about the same
lime each day. Once giving too little-then too
nuch-sometimes emitting meal, then giving I
n extra one, or feeding at irregular times-any &
these practices will detract materially from a
he value Of the pork barrel. {