Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-07-01
Sprinr and Summer Care of Swine.

The readers of our journal have learned
that we do not believe in Il period of stor-
ing y in the management of pigs; that the
business of the pig is to turn food into
pork, and not be roofing around for mere
substance, thereby wasting ali the food it
eats. No farmer can afford to keep any
animal intended for its flesh in a station
airy condition there must be progress,
constant and unvarying, to insure profit
But we do not believe in growing pigs i'll
together upon grain or the refuse of the
dairy. The pig is a grass-eating animal,
and therefore is not likely to be healthy
when fed entirely upon concentrated food.
The farmer will find it greatly to his profit
to have a small grass lot connected with
the pen for his pigs to run in after grass
starts in spring; but he must not depend
altogether upon the grass for growth They
should be fed in pen, also, all they will eat
of bran and corn meal, other grain or
skim-milk or whey and bran, giving all
the food they can Use to make rapid and
vigorous growth. The grass will keen
them in health by mixing with the Grain
in the stomach, and thus assisting in the
digestion of the solid food.
When it is not convenient to have u pas
ture lot near the pen, Il small quantity OF
grass Glover is best) may be cut and car
ried to them. A bushel basket full is eGoyph
for six pigs a day. We have found the
same. quantity of meal to produce fifty per
cent better result on two PIGS, fed with
grass, than on two others of the same lit
ter with no grass. Skim-milk, with GRASS
will produce a good growth a. can be oh
tanned by feeding grain instead 1t will
be found that II to Is of the live weight
Of the pig will be consumed, daily, of skim
milk, and this will produce a gain of a
pound live weight to about twelve pounds
of milk, average, during the first three
hundred days IN the life of pig, with the
small quantity of grass mentioned. This
will give, in many states, the value of one.
half cent per pound, or one cent per quart
for refuse milk. 1t will also make the
value of the skim-milk of an ordinary
COW (say four thousand pounds of milk
worth $50 per annum But this can ONLY
be predicated upon full feeding for if FED
only enough to keep the pig in store con.
dition, the milk would say little or moth,
ing. Farmers must remember that it takes
from 3-5 to 2-3 of the food that is oriina
rlly fed to animals to keep them alive OF
in their present condition, and that from
the other 1-3 to % comes the pay for the
Whole 1oou USED, rs well as the profit
Some of our readers may think we illus
trate this point oftener than is nect ssary
but we know there is nothing in stock rails
ing upon which the farmer is so conserya
tive as that of feeding. He is alwav.
inclined to seek breeds that eat less, willis
his efforts should be to develop those thai
can eat more and consequently produce :
larger surplus of growth.
We must also call attention to the econ.
omy OF feeling pigs well through tn,
warm weather, because it takes one-eio htl
to one-third less food 10 lay on a pound o
live weight in warm than in cold weather
Fatten your pigs every day of their lives
and do your principal feeding in summer
Pork usually brings better price, in loca
markets, in September and October thar
IN November and December--LiUe SocH
Journal