The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1876-10-05
Care for Swine.

In view of the alarming increase OF
mortality among the hogs, in various
( ,calities of the country, farmers
should give early attention to the
quarters in which they intend to TAT
ten. 1t has been repeatedly demonstra-
ted that what is called hog cholera can
be prevented by timely care, and it has
as frequently proven that after an ami
NAL is once affected, cure is almost i'm
possible.
at is an i'll wind that blows nobody
good" Even hog cholera has been a
blessing to some localities it has visit
ed. A man from one of the districts
in which this disease had appeared,
told me, recently, that it worked a
complete revolution in his neighbor-
hood in regard to Tie care of hogs.
Instead of the foul, filthy, outdoor
pens, where they used to waddle in the
mud to their bellies, exposed to all the
vicissitudes of the weather. and vast
warm, well ventilated apartments had
appeared, and the hog was beginning TO
be treated as though it had some feel
ing. 1t is easier to prevent than cure.
Ii will be better to treat the hogs
humanely and thus keep out disease,
than TO be compelled to do ii to root
out disease. We have Instances re-
corded where hogs properly kept have
remained sound and healthy when the
cholera was killing hundreds all around
them.
1t is common practice in some To-
calities to build temporary pen for
fattening-out ofrails or rough boards
covering from the rain only small
portion of it, for sleeping depart
ment The other portion sometimes
has floor of boards, but oftener Moth
ing but the earth. In either case it
soon becomes so abominably filthy
that nothing bat nose educated TO il
would tolerate il on the premises.
Sometimes the pen is cleaned out once
in two or three days, or a week, which
improves the matter but little. The
proper way is to make tight pen
floor, sides and roof-providing Tor
ventilation, of course, and then clean
it out once day, giving the feeding
quarters coating of dry earth inn
mediately after cleaning. Nothing is
better than dry earth for this purpose.
Ii disinfects and gives the pen sweet
and wholesome smell, and is beneficial
to the hogs to root in, An inch of dry
earth applied in the morning will keep
the pen sweet till the next morning,
when the operation must be repeated.
The dry dirt absorbs all the liquid
manure, and furnishes one of the most
valuable fertilizers the farm produces.
am certain the increased value ofthe
manure alone, will pay for all the
trouble and expense.
You can keep charcoal, copperas,
and other stuff in the pen.if you please.
| do not do it, and / do not believe
there is any necessity for drugs and
medicines, if the quarters are kept
clean and clean food in proper variety
given. Pure water, ! may add. is es-
sential, and place should be provid-
ed for them to wallow in clean water.
The feeding trough should be washed
out every day. With most people, it
is never touched unless it gets so full
of filth that further feeding is impos-
sible.
| have never had any experience
with hog cholera. 1t has never visit
ed this locality, but | should not fear
it, if it came. Inever lost hog from
disease in my life. and have fattened
hundreds. | known of none of my
ncighbors who can say as much, for
none of them care as much for their
hogs as we'll as | do. This is not boast
ing ohio Farmer.