Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-03-29
Talk About SWine..Brood SOws.
Western Stock Journal.

1ho time Is at hand when brood SOWS
must be in the best possible condition,
for the forces of nature will be taxed to
the utmost in the Office of dam. Sup
pose the food material on hand be corn
and oats, what shall we add to complete
the diet and keep the system in the
highest vigor?
Roots are excellent, but not many
farmers have them; the best substitute
is wheat bran. Grind oats and corr and
mix equal weight of bran; this makes a
slop relished and digestible.
Wheat bran is composed of Ash 5 /,
Albuminoids 40, Carbohydrates 500,
Crude-ibre, us, Fat 3.9. Water 13.1; a
composition just suitable for mixing
with highly concentrated food. 1t keeps
the system lax and free from fever. TT
is not every man that has wheat bran"
said Neighbour, "and | do not believe in
buying much feed on a farm. A farm
er must depend upon what he can
raise"
Very true" | replied, but wheat
bran is as cheap as any other article Of
diet if 1t can be obtained; in case it can
not, substitute ground oats, making the
ratio OF two of oats to one of corn"
Suppose" said Neighbor, "a fellow
hasn't got any oats to spare for the hogs
what can he do?"
In case a man has no bran, no oats,
no clover hay, nothing to make bulk, a
good plan is to boil ears of corn till the
cob if soft, The pigs will eat most of
the cob, which is better than an expen-
sive diet upon concentrated food. A
better plan is to grind corn on the cob
and boil thoroughly. Let them into a
field and take plenty of exercise, the
object being to tone and strengthen the
muscular system"
Would you pen the sows in separate
places two or three weeks before they
farrow?" asked Neighbor.
Separate p~enning for so long a time
is not advisable. IF they can be placed
in small numbers with peaceable mates,
it is better to let them continue till al
most the day of narrowing, when the ma
ture of the animal inclines to separation.
Castor oil or fat pork in small quaint.
ties, given occasionally for two weeks
previous to narrowing, is of decided adj
vantage to corn-fed hogs"
How do you manage p SOW that
wants to deyour her pigs. and caves
around generally asked Neighbor.
That said |, requires a little in
gcnuity. Her acts are not the result of
brute viciousness, but the effects of
fever in the system. Protect the pigs
as fast as dropped, quietly slipping them
into a basket and keep them warm
During the interim of rest pet the SOW
and get the pigs to suck if possible, re-
moving them to the basket the moment
she becomes irritable. In about thirty
six hours the fever will subside and she
may raise fine litter of pigs. / once
owned a valuable SOW that dropped thir-
teen fine pigs. She would have destroy
ed every one Of them had they not been
removed.
For eight hours she stood upon her
feet and fought like a tiger; for thirty
six hours the herdsman did not leave
her, and in the end she raised a litter of
good pigs. In such extreme cases great
care should be exercised to give only
food easily digested and cooling"
Il am in a hurry this morning" said
Neighbor, and if you have any more
pig receipts. | should like to hear what
they are
Then will name several in a con
denscd FORM said 1:
LIST. After parturition give the SOW
quiet. Do not disturb her by feeding
other pigs near.
Cd. Be sure that the pen is warm
and dry. The floor and bedding partic-
ularly should be dry.
Sd. Watch the general movement of
the SOW to guard the pigs from being
crushed by carelessness.
4th. Give little food the first week
and that easily digested. Increase the
amount of food gradually.
9th. In small filters take a longer
time before coming to full feed.
9th. At twelve days commence to
coax the little fellows to take addition
al food.
9TH. At two weeks old, look out for
rough hair and crooked backs. Milk of
dam impure and indigestible in some or
all the teats.
Give a little epson and castor oil feed
more digestible food and provide plenty
of charcoal. Sometimes the milk in one
teat will be stringy like a gargetty COW,
and the remaining teats will give healthy
milk. This must be corrected or the
litter must be discounted one.