The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1886-07-08
CONCERNING PIGS

A ReEcr,ssr4&~a n E~~sin<, Neeesssry - ~
-<eeee ne rsP~Assfty Of Fsri-
The ekare OF ear present fashionable
breeds OF pigs is Sc different FROM that
of Their presenitors that it may lie sup
posed t4eSs ol.SRgcS have I'll been
based upon the tI1e principles ii AMI
NAL perfection But thAsa changes
have shown enc thing very fsrcitly.
and THAI il. that the Iis il completely
flexible and plastic. in the HANDS OF a
skillful breeder and feeder. The Berk-
sl.rc and Surolk breeds have been re-
fined in bone until their legs are hardly
capable of sustaining the weight of the
that this is simply the result of breed
ing, but such opinion IS quite errone-
Gus. This refinement of bone has taken
place mostly in this country. and is
more the result Of feeding upon fooa
inadequate to grow a~vi2orous frame.
Corn, the universal pig food. Is tos
poor IN phosphate Of lime to grew
proper proportion Of bone. 1t pro
too little muscle and bone-aRd this is
much more due to the food than the
breeding.
The old style hegs had too muck
muscle and bone. They were grown so
slowly and SO differently from the pres,
ent system of early maturity that ts'ne
frame was abundantly developed and
the fattening period was too snort to
nroperly cover and roup2 ont tbi.
overerown frame. The bone was dis
proportioned to the eeen: but our pres.
emit fashionable pig is carried to the
other extreme
We believe the refining process, so
called. has been carried too far and
the pig has lost in constitutional vigor.
1t rs not easy to say how much this de-
cadence in constitutional vigor has had
to DO with its many diseases of recent
wears. but there can be little doub,
that it has been a prolific cause of its
ills.
Let US say here, that we do not in.
tend to be understood that the Berk-
shire and Suffolk breeds are the only
ones that have been subjected to this
excessive refining of bone. but men
ton these as an illustration of the
points we are making This evil will
| be reformed when the feeding is re-
formed. We have been pleased to SEE
| the evidence of a better understanding
| of the true system of feeding young
| pigs, so us to develop first the muscles
and frame. Only a few years ago the
only food mentioned was corn, from
| the time when the pig was large
enough to crack corn to market age
| The principal variation from this i:
skinned milk and pasture grass
| These two foods are well adapted t.
give muscular development and grow
bone. But only small proportion O
of pig raisers keep dairy and have
| skim-mllk for feeding, and many dc
not Systematically pasture their pigs
I so that a large proportion of pigs hat
very little food after weaving, beside.
corn A proper proportion of nitro
| genous food given to the pig during it.
first six months, will gradually enlarge
the frame and improve its constitu
tiOnal vigor. We export some six Oh
seven million dollars in value of oil
meal, and this is the most desir
| able food we have for develop
ing young animals, and, used TO,
| this purpose, will pay us much more
money than by its export The new
process linseed-meal is very rich in al
| the elements to grow the muscles ant
bones, and at the same time has !
healthful influence upon the digestive
organs In feeding fall filters of pig.
| through the winter, food of this de
scription is most important. Whea
bran is also excellent as part of the
ration, then middlings may be added
Middlings is usually as cheap as corr
meal, and much more appropriate fol
| young pigs. Variety of food is desira
bic for all animals. and especially sc
for pigs. The skillful feeder has
leaned the Importance of pleasing the
appetite. Each food has flavor pecu
liar to itself, and qualities peculiar t.
it. The greater the variety the better
| is the appetite satisfied, and the mos,
satisfactory will be the growth of thu
pig;
Early maturity will be the grant
feature in the pig of the future Excepr
for breeding, pigs will be matured fol
market at twelve months old. This
will produce a pig of three hundred
pounds average live weight "A weight
in best demand in market 1t ii
believed. also, that under this improved
| system of feeding. there Will be a more
! just proportion between the fat and
ieaR-in fact all experiments to tina,
end have proved this to be the case
When pork shall become more whole.
some. home consumption will be greatly
increased, and we shall not be quite sc
anxious about the export of pork, bu,
this improvement ia pork will also help
it's sale in Europe. We look for Z
steady Improvement in the pig of the
future.--Nnttossal Lire Stock JsslrsaaI.
LIQUID MANURE.
IT,