The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-05-05
Care of Young Pigs.

Colonel Curtis writes to the R,ndl
Ner Yorker: When pigs are two or
three days old, unless the mother has a
surplus of milk, she may be fed succu-
lent food to increase the flow. If she
appears to have plenty of milk such
food should not be given to her for at
least week, in order that the inham-
nation in the udders may subside. The
health of the mother and the growth of
the young will depend very much upon
the care and Judgment exercised at this
period. Many sows are injured at this
time and the pigs stunted by the excess
sive feeding of the mother. We con-
slider milk to be improper food, and
would prefer nothing but clear water or
house slops mixed with little bran.
At the end of week more nourishing
food may be given, gradually increasing
the supply as the young pigs will
demand more sustenance. Barley meal
will make more milk than any kind of
grain. Oats rank next in value. They
should have the hulls sifted out, as the
SOW will not eat this part of the grain
which would be wasted, but which is
excellent for young calves or cows.
Wheat shorts or middlings ERE good
milk producing food, and are cheap and
healthful for SOW sucking pigs. The
best form in which either of these foods
can be prepared is TO mix them with
milk. Hogs always relish their food
when slightly fermented, just enough to
make it sour. A little milk will produce
this condition if mixed with tue meal
o bran the day before the food is re-
quircd. By little care and painstaking
II supply of fermented food may al
ways be kept on hand. This labor will
always pay well, as the pigs will do
much better on it. 1t is necessary to
keep the appetite from tagging if they
are expected to be thrifty. Abrupt
changes Of food or the failure of steady
supply are apt to produce arrangement
of the bowels, which is exceedingly in
furious to young pigs, The little ones
are sure to be affected by the condition
of the mother ; hence it is important
that great care should be exercised in
her food. Corn may be fed in connec-
tion with milk, but we consider corn
alone the least desirable of any grain.
We should prefer buckwheat rather than
corn. Sugar beets or mangels may be
fed with grain, and will be found con
ducive to health nd will help to keep
the appetite good.
When the pigs are between two and
three weeks old they will eat oats with
their mother, and this is the best kind
of grain to give them. They will eat
more every day, and the quantity may
be increased without any danger of in
jury. They will also eat corn, but if it
is given to them it should be in limited
quantity. Corn is more heating than
oats and harder to digest, and is liable
to produce an excess of fat, which
causes thumps, or it may cause infam-
nation of the bowels, which is fatal to
young pigs. We have lost number on
this account, and have learned from ex-
perience not to rely upon corn.
Too much milk given to pigs will pro-
duce the same result. If the season
will admit, a SOW will do better if al.
lowed to run out on the ground, where
she can obtain grass which is an antidote
to diseases of the stomach, and which
will also help materially to increase the
milk. Running out upon the ground
will also arrest the thumps, which is
more liable to affect young pigs when
confined in pen. This disease, so
common among young pigs, may be
known by the heaving of the sides or by
the painting of the animals and their re-
fusing to eat. We know of no medi-
cinal remedy except the use of turpen-
tine, which should be administered
daily, diluted with milk, in doses of a
half teaspoonful and more, according to
the size and age of the pig.
Frequent washing with soapsuds does
pigs great deal of good, and should
always be .practiced if they get dirty.
Young pigs will never thrive well in a
filthy pen. If the dam is unclean the
pigs are liable, when sucking, to get
sore about the head and around their