The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-08-04
Feed for Young Pigs.

Perhaps there are no greater mis-
takes made in feeding animals than is
often the case with pigs. Indeed. we
are inclined to think that the climax of
expensive absurdity is reached in swine
feeding. Often animals do grow and
develop in spite of very bad feeding.
But our swine, we might almost say as
rule, do not develop. Fat takes the
place of development and somehow we
get the idea that fat is growth. If we
do not make this mistake almost from
the beginning, we are entirely too apt
to fall into the error before the pig
reaches maturity. 1t is always very
great mistake, and the earlier in the
life of the pig that we begin to make it,
the greater mistake it is. To expect
young pig to develop bone and muscle,
without feeding it anything that will
make bone and muscle, is great alb
surdity. Yet that would often seem to
be the theory in hog-raising. After its
birth the pig is either left to take
care of itself, the dam not even being
properly fed sometimes, or is fed upon
that reprehensible theory that fat is
growth. Men have been known to
feed all the corn meal that the young
animal would eat, just as soon as it
could be taught to eat corn meal.
What could naturally be expected as
the result of such coursep Corn meal
contains sixty-six per cent. of starch,
seven per cent. of fat, ten per cent of
heterogeneous elements, and scarcely any
phosphate of lime. Now "a growing
pig can be literally starved to death
upon such ration, although it may be
SO fat that it cannot standupon its feet.
Indeed, its inability to stand upon its
feet would soon manifest ITSELF and
would be an evidence that it was
starved. Its legs would not be strong
enough to hold it. Its bones and mus
cular system would have nothing to
feed upon, and must necessarily grow
weak, at least weak in proportion to its
age and growth of fat. There would
all the time be demand for an increase
of muscular and bony strength to sup
port the growing weight, and no re-
spouse whatever to the demand.
In the artificial feeding Of young pigs
skim milk stands at the head of foods,
and when there is plenty of that there
need be no serious uneasiness about re-
suits. Cooked corn meal may be adj
vantageously added in small quantities
to the milk-provided there is plenty
Of milk, as it is the milk that will fur
nish the albuminoids and mineral ele-
ments. Indeed the proportion Of those
is so very large that to produce the very
best results corn meal in proportion of
say about one pound to quart of milk, is
very desirable. This ration about equal
11,,v, dc fat 81
elements, as required by the animal
system. If the farmer does not have
the milk, cooked corn meal and oats in
equal parts and one part of oil meal will
prove to be good ration. Some grind
oats and peas together, and feed cooked, !
and others feed six parts of peas, four
parts of corn and one part of tlaxseed.,
If our pigs do not gain as much as a
pound day in live weight we can con-
clude at once that there is radical de-
feet in our system of feeding. The
young pig should be fed liquid food, as
that is more easily digested, and should,
after weaving be fed five or six times
day for a considerable time, after
which the number of times can be re-
duced.
Of course tie feeder will not under,
value grass as food for pigs. If bA
does he will dispense with a very cheap
means of feeding and injure the animal
besides. 1t will not answer to feed
growing animals wholly upon concen-
trated food. Concentrated food enters
the stomach in solid mass, and it re-
quires time for the gastric juice to mix
with it and digest it. But if with the
concentrated food grass is fed, the mass
is loosened up and the gastric juice has
greater surface to attack. And there
is one other very important matter to
be taken into consideration in connec-
ton with pigs running upon grass. 1t
furnishes them exercise, and exercise,
the reader need not be told, is about as
important as food. 1t is true that pig
does not need a quarter section to range
over to get exercise enough, but on the
other hand it should not be too closely
confined, and if ON pasture it will be in
| no danger Of that If it has plenty of
room it is sometimes the case that soil
ing is very profitable. 1t requires less
land to support pig if the soiling sys-
tenn is adopted, and where there are not
many pigs it is altogether practical and
| profitable. - Western Rur0l.