The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1885-01-22
WlnterIng Pigs.

In the southern states farmers are at
little pains to hasten the maturity of
pigs: They are often allowed to run
at large during several months of the
year. They frequent forest pastures,
and secure their living chiefly on grass,
wild fruits, and mast. AS the winters
are mild there is little occasion for
providing shelter for them. Hogs are
not infrequently kept till they are 3
years old. They are fattened when
pork is required for the family, when
the market is good, or when feed is
plenty. It is easier to keep store hogs
in the south than in most of the north
ern states, but generally more difficult
to obtain food to fatten them. In
most of the northern states farmers
aim to turn off their hogs at as early
an age as possible. They dislike to
keep them over the winter. The
weather is severe, and buildings for
protecting pigs from the cold are ex-
pensive. Many farmers keep only
breeding stock over the winter. They
have their 1itters of pigs dropped very
early in the spring, and endeavor to
have them in condition for the market
before the winter holidays. They keep
breeds of swine that mature early.
They hasten their growth by feeding a
large amount of corn and other grains.
Much has been written to prove that
hogs are kept at a loss during the win
ter season. Some farmers think it is
cheaper to buy pigs in the spring than
to have the trouble and expense Of
wintering them.
1t is not likely that there is any
profit III keeping pigs over the winter
if they have nothing but dry corn to
eat, ice-water to drink, and frozen
ground to sleep on. They can not be
expected to gain when they are pro-
vided this kind of diet and lodgings.
Pigs may be kept over the winter, how
ever, with profit, provided their own
ers are situated to take proper care of
them. Shelter of some sort will be re-
quired. No very expensive buildings,
however, are necessary. A matched
roof will carry off the rain and keep
away the snow. With a sufficient
amount of straw: which is often wasted
on western farms, the pigs ma y be
kept comfortable even if there is no
floor to the building where they are
confined. Pigs kept over the winter
should be supplied with corn. but this
must not be their entire food. They
should have hot Stops, milk and
cooked vegetables. A farmer who is
milking several COWS during the win
ter will find it to his advantage to keep
pigs. Young pigs will gain rapidly
during the winter if they have clean
and warm quarters, and are we'll sup
piled with the food best adapted to the
wants of growing animals. Boiled po-
tatocs and other vegetables mixed with
ground feed should constitute one feed
each day. Boiled tlaxseed or oil cake
is very desirable for pigs during the
winter. All who have tried the exper-
iment speak highly of cnsilage made
from clover and other tender plants.
Pigs born in the early part of the
fall will be of sufficient size to endure
the cold before the approach of win
ter. If we'll fed and properly cared
for they will be strong and hearty in
the spring and of the proper age to
make the best use of clover pasture.
Pigs dropped in the spring will not
derive much benefit from clover. They
will need milk, slops, and ground feed
during most of the summer. Glover
or some other green forage crop is the
cheapest food for hogs, as it is for 9TH
er farm animals. It costs little to
produce it and requires no labor to
feed it out: Pigs of size to eat clo-
yer during the summer are of very lit
tie trouble to their owners. During
the time the farmer is cultivating his
crops and putting up hay his pigs, like
his sheep and young cattle, will be
gaining in the pasture. Pigs dropped
in the fall can be converted into heavy
hogs before the winter holidays. 1t
will be very difficult, however, to
make heavy hogs of pigs born in the
spring unless they are kept till late in
the winter. The winter is poor time
in which to fatten animals as sensitive
to cold as hogs are. Ordinarily it is
better for them to pass winter in the
earlier part of their lives than in the
latest portion of it Chicago Times.
Ten Serious Mistakes.
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