The Indiana State sentinel., 1881-06-01
OUR FARM FRIENDS.
All About Pigs-Keep Boys on the
Farm.
Keeping a MIX ReOOrd-summer Shelter
for stock-Ensilage-Farm
Notes, Etc.
Pigs.

IColouel d. NJ. Curtis in Rural New Yorker.l
When pigs are two or three days old, un-
less the mother has q surplus OF milk, she
may be fed succulent food, to increase the
flow. II she appears to have plenty OF milk,
such food should not be given to her
for at least a week, in order that the in
I. fiammation in the udders may sub
side. 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 ex-
cessive 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 a week more nourishing food may be
given, gradually increasing the supply as
the young pigs will demand more susie
nance. Barley meal will make more milk
than any other 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 are 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 best when slightly fer
mented, Just enough to make IL sour.
little milk will produce this condition, if
mixed with the meal or bran the day before
the food is required. BY little care and
painstaking, supply of feamented food
may always be kept on hand. This labor
will always pay well, as the pigs will
, do so much better on IL 1t is necessary
J ~ knar. tho from Having If fhpV
are expected to be thrifty. Abrupt changes
of food or the failure of a study supply are
apt to produce arrangement of the bowels,
which j. exceedingly injurious to young
pigs The little ones are sure TO be effected
by the condition of the mother; hence, 1t
is important that great care should be ex-
exercised in her food. Corn may be fed in
connection 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 conducive to
health and will help 10 keep the appetite
good.
weeks old they will eat oats with their
mother, and tins 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 injury They will also cal
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 Inflammation OF
the bowels, which is fatal to young pigs
We have lost a number on this account, and
have learned from experience not to rely
: upon corn.
Too much milk given to pigs will produce
the same result. If the season will admit, q
SOW will do better If allowed 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 materi-
ally to increase the milk. Running out
upon the ground will also arrest the stumps
which is more liable to affect young pigs
when confined in the pen. This disease, Sc
A common among young pigs. may be known
by the heaving of the sides or by the pant
ing of the animals and their refusing to eat
!. We know of no medicinal remedy, except
/ the use of irpentine. which should be
administered daily, diluted with milk, in
doses of half IeaspoOnful and more
according to the size and age of the pig
Frequent washing with sOap-suds does pig
great deal of good, ana should always bt
practiced if they get dirty. Young pigs will
never thrive we'll in a filthy pen. If the
/. dam is unclean the pigs are liable, wher
sucking, TO get sore about the head and
around their mouths, which will stunt
them When this is the case. they should
De thoroughly WaSneu ana Olieu
The male pigs should be castrated wher
four weeks old and the parts be smeareC
with coal tar, which is the best application
we have ever tried, as it causes no pain anC
Is rapidly healing in its effects. Salt
turpentine or ashes (the common ap
i plieationsl are very painful anC
cruel Castration may be performed il
warm weather without danger, if coal-tar i,
applied, as it will keep off the flies anC
cause the wounds to heal rapidly. In cas-
trating, if the cords are scraped off, instead
of being cut straight, the blood will not flow
as it will cOagulate more READILY with
rough or irregular termination to the part
' severed. This fact is more important il
castrating older pigs. If the parts swell
badly. the inciSiOns should be carefull
opened, so that the pus may pass out. Pig
after castration, should be kept in a dr.
place, as exposure to wet may result il
cold and Inflammation, whicn' is general
= ly fatal