Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-10-16
FEEDING PIGS FOR PROFIT.
The MIG is one of the most vaIua.

He of our domestic animals. That
it has a reputation for a great
many disagreeable habits is not its
,ault. but the blame rightly belongs
10 lis keepers ; and it is equally
true that all the complaints regard
ing the unwholesomeness OF Its
flesh are justly owing to the wretch
cd methods Of keeping the swine,
rather than to any inherent bad
ness of the meat itself. We need
rot say a word about how pigs are
kept and fed; the manner OF this
is a by.word and a reproach ana
has given the pig a character which
could hardly be worse in any respect
than it is. But if We were to keep
our COWS as we keep our pigs, a
dairy would be as disagreeable a
thing as hog pen and the cows
would DO as repulsive as any hogs
could be.
All.the ancient prejudices against
swine, and sanitary regulations
against eating swine's flesh, were
othing more than Out-growths oil
The popular uncleanliness of the
period, from which people suffered
from those loathesome diseases,
such as leprosy, scrofula, scabs
and other cutaneous eruption,
which we find described in the
writings of Moses; and it could
not be expected, that with tine
filthy habits of those people, and
equally with the modern Arabs
and Turks, animals like swine
could be kept in such a clearly
manner as would make the meat
IS good and wholesome as we know
il should be made. 1t became
therefore necessary to make the
most stringent rules for the pre-
Eervation of the public health, and
:or tho better observance Of these
rules they were made a part OF the
Religious observances. With diff
ferent conditions such a state OF
things is unnecessary and now we
may breed, rear and feed pigs, and
TAT the meat without any scruple
in the way of fear of i'll effects up
an the public health.
But a good deal has yet to De
learned in regard TO the healthful
and profitable feeding Of swine.
AS rule the pig is not cared for
us it should be, and great losses
are occasiOned by various diseases
10 which swine are subject from
lnistakes in their management.
The prevailing diseases of swine,
VIZ, cholera, tape worm, and spinal
meningitis, or paralysis Of the hind
quarters, are all due to these mis-
takes. In feeding might be inciud-
rd breeding and rearing, because
The profit of feeding is very much
reduced by the common mischiev-
Gus breeding Of unhealthy animals
from constitutiobally diseased par
ents. And the hrst caution that
should be given is that no unsound
or diseased animal, or any that has
ever been troubled with the pre-
Nalent diseases, should be used for
breeding under any circumstances.
a. tendency to intestinal fever,
commonly called hog cholera, and
10 disease of the pines which pro
duces paralysis, is sure TO follow
pr miscuous and careless breeding.
A wise course Of feeding must
begin at the birth or even before
that event, in the careful feeding
Of the SOW for some time previously
A continued course of grain feed
ing tends to produce fevered con-
ditlon and an unhealthy appetite
N the SOW, and this impels her to
devour the litter as soon as 1t Is
born. Overlooking is the bane Of
pig keeping. 1t Injuries the brood
SOW, makes the milk unwholesome
and produces disease in the pigs
A pig should never be fed so much
as to have it leave food uncoosum'
ed. And the food Of a brood SOW
should never be sour. Before a
slop made of grain is soul it WI
have produced some alcohol and
this heats the blood and Injuries
The milk, and the young pigs Suife'
~ the evils Of it, because what
ever may be wrong in the system
al the SOW is almost always to be
carried off in the milk. Over feed
jug too is the destruction of the
young pigs. IL produces indiges
lion aDd thus causes that very
ropmon disorder OF young pigs
called blind staggers, which makes
lhem 60 round, or hold their heads
,lown and champ their jaws and
joan at the mouth aud which il
eally CONGESTION of the brain OF
"poplexy.