Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-07-31
Care of Hogs in Summer

A writer in the Ohio Farmer has
the following on raising hogs, which
IS so full OF pertinent suggestions
that We give it TO our readers in full /:
"The principal dietTof hogs in sum
mer should be grass, rich slop, fruits
and veget; bles and some corn; these,
with the worms and insects obtained
on range, are amply sufficient to sus-
tain steady growth until tho cool
autumn weather sets in, when diet
of sound corn, with some slop, shonld
he continued until they are fat
enough for killing or for market.
This process of taking hogs through
the summer applies equally to hogs
that have been wintered, or to spring
pigs, except the pigs should be fed
stronger on account Of their more
rapid growth. Summer is the time
to make pork; making it in winter is
much like running boat against a
wind and tide; it requires too much
food to keep up the supply of animal
heat. If hogs have plenty of grass
in summer, and about half the grain
they will eat, they will fatten rapidly,
and about three pounds OF pork can
be made in cold weather with hog
in close pen. The grass is cooling
and loosening, aud counteracts the
feverish properties of the grain. An.
other important consideration in favor
OF such diet is cost, which is mere
ly nominal as compared with grain
alone. Free access to pure water
and good shade is essential to com.
tort and consequent growth and
thrift of the pig. The hog delights
IN cool, damp locality, aud is very
sensitive TO heat and cold, and suf-
fsrs extremely from exposure to Ell
Their. Any unusual exercise will be
fatal to hog that is fat, OIL hot
day, IT it has not free access to wa.
ter. Hogs are not apt to root when
there is plenty of grass on the
ground, but rings in their noses have
many great advantages and By all
means shonld be used They should
be allowed TO have all the grass they
will eat as early in the spring as pos
sible, and clover and timothy is good
for them in winter. Hogs that have
ran to grass and slop all summer can
be shut up in pen and fed TO ad-
vantage six weeks or two months,
but no longer A pig should never
be allowed to stop growing-in fact,
that rule holds good during its entire
life. A poor, NANCY pig is of no
value. Close confinement in filth and
dirt will check the growth, however
generous the feed but if starved at
the same time it will be mercy to
both pigs and owner to send them to
the manure pile. Milk is very
cooling drink and almos. indispen.
sable in raising young pigs. But
very little corn and no corn meal
should be fed to young pigs before
they are four months old The eff
fects OF corn and raw corn meal on
young pigs are these: These pigs
will first be costive then they will
scour; they will rub against every
thing they come in contact with and
rub their hair off; their skin will
have red and dry appearance. A
dry, black scurf will begin to form
on them, and the more of the corn
meal that they eat the poorer they
will get. The best thing that can
be done for pig in this condition is
TO give him thorough, washing in
warm rain water or sour milk Sour
milk is beet. Coarse flour or mid
dlings from rye or wheat, when made
into thin drinkable slop with milk,
is the best feed for young pigs ex-
cept bread and milk bread is good
for young pigs because it has been
leavened. Food has 20 ferment be
fore it will digest, and if fed to
young pig before fermented it will
overtask his stomach and spoil him.
Lettuce is good for young pigs. ut
will stop the scours on them The
middlings should be put with the
mi k at night, after the feeding has
been done, and allowed to be in the
milk through the night, never allow.
ing the swill tub TO get quite empty,
always leaving little in the bottom
for yeast. The swill should never be
allowed to get stale. Hogs or pigs
treated as here described will grow
to satisfaction and prove profitable.