Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-03
Care Of Pigs.

] uuubdllny anu unpIOuLADle, IL is nat
ural for a pig to be on the ground.
Nature designed that pig should root
for its living, and hence it is provided
with an organ adapted to this work.
Breeding stock should never be con-
fined in close quarters, If a healthy and
productive condition is desired. Exer-
else is essential, and a variety of food,
especially for a female with young, is
highly beneficial. Pigs for fattening
may be closely confined for a limited
period; but if kept 80 for any length of
time there will be loss of appetite or
a feverish condition which units them
for food. Exercise and healthy diges-
tion naturally go together Every part
OF the body was made for a purpose,
and there should be an opportunity for
its development if perfect condition
Is expected. With no employment of
the muscles, tendons and organs for
locOmotion, the free use of which would
give full exercise to the lungs and pro-
duce healthy circulation OF the blood
with all stomach work--how can it
be expected that growing animals and
those bearing young should be healthy
and well developedP When pigs are
confined in pens they are usually fed
stimulating food, and this helps to
make it worse for them. 1t is the most
expensive way of rearing pigs.
We always have the best success with
breeding sows when they are allowed
to feed on grass. This is the only food
they require until the young pigs are a
week or two old, when milk, or meal of
some sort, may be given to them to in
crease the flow of milk if they require
1t. Sows thus managed are never ugly
and never destroy their pigs. WhyP
Because they are in a natural and
healthy condition. The grass also in
creases the flow of milk and is, quite
often, sufficient food for SOW while
rearing her young. Young pigs soon
learn to eat the grass, which Is alike
natural and healthful for them. We
never had case Of scours or thumps
among young pigs when running in
pasture. The grass serves to counter
act the effects of corn, and many pigs
on grass can be fed heavily with this
food without the injury which it would
do them if confined and deprived of
grass.
Our experience has convinced us that
no farm is complete without a pig pas
ture. Clover is the best of all the grass
es for this purpose, and next to it we
prefer orchard grass, for the reason
that it starts up promptly after being
eaten off, is the earliest in the spring
and is relished by the pigs. 1t is not
necessary to have a special field for the
pig pasture, but they may be allowed
to run in any lot if properly inclosed.
There should be water in the field and
plenty of grass. A patch of sweet corn
sowed in drills will be found convenient
to supplement shortened pasture in
the late summer. There should also be
another patch of turnips or other roots
into which the pigs may be turned for
fall feeding. With the three auxilar-
les OF pasture, sweet corn stalks and a
root patch, the cost Of rearing and feed
ing pigs may be reduced to less than
one-half of their expense when they are
confined and fed in pens, to say moth
ing about their better condition for food.
There is a great deal of complaint
nowadays about pork being too fat,
and many people who used to eat old
fashioned pork, and relish it, will not
cat the modern, improved sort. The
main reason for this is because pigs are
overfed while young and kept so closely
confined that there is no proportionate
growth and development of muscle
Oean meat) with the fat (oiD. NV
system of growing pigs, while it is more
successful in the breeding, does at the
same time make growSh of muscle
and fat more nearly balanced. To
make perfect pig the feeding and the
treatment should be such that the
muscles and frame should be produced
first, and the fat added on, whereas the
practice of confinement and excluding
grass feeding makes the fat first, with
scarcely any muscle or bone to support
it. Pigs should be kept in a thrifty,
growing condition until within a month |
of the time when they are wanted for
slaughter, when they may be fed |
stronger, but not for longer time A
big weight is not so good as healthy |
pig. Old hogs may be stimulated for a |
longer time and be made fatter but |
these make better food if fattened on
such natural feed as clover and roots
and topped off with corn.
A strong copper wire in a pigs nose |
will keep it from digging up the sod.
An orchard is suitable range for pigs,
rs they will eat all the fallen fruit and |
thus destroy myriads of worms which
would otherwise develop for future
damage. If it is impossible for a
farmer to let his pigs run out, he ought, |
for health's sake-and it is good food, !
too-to give them feedings of grass in
the pens. We have kept hogs in this
way all summer ON grass alone. Col
+. d. Curtis, IN Rural MelO Yorker.