Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-08-26
WEEKLY CHRONICLE. 5
Selecting and Rearing Brood Sows

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A brood SOW should be a good
mixer. However good in other res
poets, If deficient IN this she should
hardly be retained as a breeder. An
abundance Of milk for the first eight
or ten weeks Of their existence is the
best preparation young pigs can have
to fit them for profitable growth in
after life. II is not always possible
to decide with certainty whether or
not a young SOW VIII prove to be a
good mixer, but as with COWS so
with pigs, We may learn from obser-
vation and trail to know in some de
gree, Judging from their general ap-
pearance what TO expect Much viii
depend upon the daln:aDd grand dam
in this regard. Milking qualities in
swine are as surely transhlissible to
progeny as in cattle. THIS it is as
true Of swine as Of cattle that this
trait may be greatly improved by
feeding them when yOungwith a view
to their development as milk pro-
ducers rather than as fat producers.
For this reason spring and early som
mer filters are usually the
best from which to select young
brood sows. They can be kept
through the summer almost entirely
on grass, which if a bundant and in
variety, will make them grow nicely,
and at the same time the exercise
reqired in grazing will keep them in
good health and thrift. By the time
cold weather comes on and corn is
to be fed, they will have become
nearly old and large enough for ser
vice. But even after this, continued
care should be taken that too. much
corn or other fat-producing food
should not be given them. We must,
however, bear III mind that at this
period all animals naturally lay up
fat which afterward goes to enrich
the milk. Hence, while they should
not be allowed to become oveg-fat,
they should yet be so fed as to sup
ply this demand Of nature, and 10 re-
tain the general health and Yigor OF
the system.
When they have dropped their first
litter the most they viii need for the
first five or eight days will be cooling
drinks and very little rich food
Wheat bran scalded and then thin
ned with cold water, to which may
tie added q handful Of ship-stuff OF
middIing, may be given. In ten days
CT two weeks the richness of the food
may be gradually increased, great
care being taken, however both as tc
the quality and quantity, that these
changes may not injure the health
of the SOW, or so affect her milk as to
cause scours in the pig. It is q very
common mistake in feeding SOW:
having young pigs to give them to I
much strong food when the pigs are
quite young.
It is not until the pigs are some
three or four weeks old that they
really begin to tax the SOW heavily
Then it is that the SOW should bt
literally and regularly fed on good
nutritious, milk-producing food, anl
at the same time the young pigs
should be taught to feed by them
selves at a trough out of the reacl
Of the SOW. If thus managed, boil
SOW and pigs are benefited. The
strength Of the former is kept up
and her disposition to produce Al
abundance Of good rich milk s.
encouraged as to fix this as one o.
the best traits of her nature; whilt
the pigs, by the extra feed give1
them, make a corresponding raPil
growth, and, that at q comparatively
small cost
Young sows brought up IN The
manner suggested, and thus care6
for with their first filters, may b.
depended on to do as well or better
with their next, provided they have
anything like fair treatment. In case
however, a SOW fails to prove her
self a good mixer, after a fair trial
she should be replaced by one o
better promise, unless for some spec
ial purpose it is thought best TO re
tain her Bullentin Am. B, Record