The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-13
Management of Pigs In summer.

The mass of farmers require some very
strong preaching upon this subject. They
seem to think the favorable summer season
just the time to keep pigs cheaply, without
any expenditure for food except the Stops from
the kitchen and poor pasture Their idea
seems to be to increase the age without any
regard to increasing the weight. They seem
only DESTROYS of pig frames to build on in the
fall This custom, almost universal until
lately, OF doing all TIE fattening in fall and
winter can only be accounted for by the fact
that corn and the grain crops are rpcned and
ready for use in the fall, hence fall feeding was
adopted for convenience or supposed necessity,
without considering the strong objection TO the
system.
The cost of keeping up animal heat depends
upon the temperature During the SIX
months from May to October both inclusive
the average temperature ranges from % to 10
decs., and for the other six months from 90 to
So degs., leaving difference of temperature
between the two seasons of about 30 degs. and
the animal heat remains throughout the year
the same or 100 degs. The animal must thus
eat extra food sufficient. in the cold season, to
overcome this large difference in TEMPERATURE
before any gain can he produced. Now, it
will be seen that the difference between the
average temperature of the air and boOdheat
is twice as great in the cold as in the warm
half of the year, and it will therefore require
twice the food of respiration or heat produc-
ton in the cold as in the warm season.
Experiments have shown that in very cold
weather hogs would gain nothing upon the
best feeding, if exposed to the open air And
this extra food required to keep up the animal
heat is all thrown away as compared with
feeding in the warm season. 1t isquite below
the fact to say that it takes % per cent. more
food as general rule, to produce 100 pounds
gain IN winter than in summer, unless the win
ter feeding Is done in warm, well ventilated
pens. 1t is most important that farmers should
make the most of all their resources, and now,
more especially, when farm products are so
low A farmer of the better class, who can
make ten pounds Of pork from bushel of
corn when the temperature averages 60 to ~
degs., will find it more difficult to make IL
pounds when the temperature is at an average
of 40 dogs. From these facts it must be cvi-
dent that the principal feeding should be done
in the warm season. | would not advise feed
ing wholly upon grain, fol the hog is grass.
eating animal, and it is doing violence to its
nature to keep it wholly upon concentrated
food. Many Of the ills that swine flesh Is
heir to" | think are caused by negecting to-
feed sufficient tibrOus food Pigs should eth.
er have good pasture or be fed clover and
other green food in the pen
When pasture is not convenient pigs may
be soiled very proftably. AneXcelent way of
feeding them in summer is to run green clover
through a strawcutter and mix an equal bulk
of clover and con-meal together and allow it
to lie for twelve to twenty-four hours. The
meal will absorb the moisture of the clover,
swell and become softened, while both will so
adhere as to be eaten together. From COnSid-I
cradle experience in feeding after this method,
| tind the pigs uniformly healthy and more
thrifty than when fed on grain alone Good
clover will do with half this quantity of meal,
and sometimes produce equally good results.
| have found even 40 per cent difference in
favor of the clover and meal over the meal
alone; and this when dividing a litter of pigs
and feeding One.half on cOrn.meal soaked m
water and the other on clover and meal giving
each lot all they would eat. The pigs fed on
corn meal alone were often teverish and nine
ing i'll appetite, while those on clover and
meal were always lively and ready for feed. |
III pigs are on pasture then they should get
also constant small ration of grain. Grain
Will here produce much greater results than
when fed alone. Pigs should be pushed
through the summer with the most liberal
feeding so that they may make Il constant and
rapid growth and reach a marketable weight
OF 2jO pounds, or upward, before December
A little grain used with pasture will always
pay liberal profit There can never be Il
stand-still in growth without serious loss. Full.
feeding is the only consistent systcm-Cor
Rurdj Ner Yorker.