St. Landry democrat., 1888-08-11
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Hints on Making Pork.

provided the machine is kept in run
ming order. 1t is folly to suppose and
expect that q hog can convert any and
all kinds of food into pork. 1t is neces-
sary that, if we want pork, we must
feed those foods which will produce
flesh and fat. When hogs arrive at
the proper age for fattening, see that
every one is in healthy condition
and is thriving. The system must be
in perfect order, that food may
not be wasted. Don't throw in a
wagon-load of corn, reminding
your hogs that it is all they
will get for a week, but gradu-
ally and Systematically work them up
to full feed" Do not change the diet
too suddenly, and especially use care
in changing from green to solid food.
Adopt regular hours for feeding, and
the animals will soon learn to expect it
about that time every day. With old
hogs. food twice day is often enough,
but with young shoats, | would advise
feeding three times day, as by only
feeding twice they overload their stom-
achs. The food should always be given
in a clean, wholesome condition, and
never allowed to sour. The barrels
or watts in which the food is mixed
should be cleaned after each feeding,
and all surplus food removed. The
main object should be to keep your
f,,I
Hogs fatten best when not disturbed
or excited. Never allow your pigs to
run with fattening hogs, as their rum
ming about often excites the older ones.
The important thing now is to promote
idleness and sleep. | believe that
feeding about a. IN. and 6 p. m. are
perhaps the most satisfactory hours
during the summer and fall.
There is no doubt that hogs can be
fattened quicker and with less food if
provided with good warm houses, and
the food given in troughs and not scat
tered about the ground. | do not ad-
wise placing too many together, but
those of nearly uniform size may oc-
cupy the same pens or apartments.
Stops thickened by meals are very de-
sirable, and are certainly more econom-
ical than entire grain. Vegetables
and roots may be used literally in
winter fattening, but this must not at
any time form the whole diet, as
they do not contain much
fattening qualities. Use lib
orally of salt and wood ashes,
cinders, refuse coal, Stacked lime,
birthstone and charcoal about once
week, each in small quantities. Above
all things see that your hogs have I'M
failing appetites and are in good con-
dition physically.
The watering of hogs is also very
important and should be done with
some system. The heating effects of
corn are often aggravated by pouring
into the overloaded stomachs mass
of cold water. This often results in
severe purging that debilitates the
digestion more than any thing else.
Water should be given hogs in limited
quantities, and it should be warm
enough to have the chill taken from
it. By following this course, there
will be less disturbance of digestion
The cravings of an animal suffering
from such intense internal heat, caused
by overlooking, should not be satisfied
by allowing perfect freedom to cold
water. AS an animal g. ows fatter,
there is less waste of moisture from
the system by evaporation than when
the animal is in thin flesh. There is,
besides. in a fattening animal, a
gradual hardening of the flesh,
caused by a substitution of fat for
water in the system, so that we'll
fed fattening animals do not require
as much water as the stock hogs, and
when roots and vegetables are fed,
but little water is actually necessary.
If fattening hog shows signs of fire.
quent thirst, this is sufficient evil
dence that it has an over-feed, which
has brought on fever and caused a
arrangement of digestion, so that
care should be used that an animal
shall not drink too much. The in
stinct of the animal will not be a
proper guide as to its appetite. Then
it is far better to prevent all disorder
by giving water that has been warmed.
These facts can easily be applied
to all animals, for it is known
that all beasts suffer more or less from
the injurious effects of taking cold wa |
ter into the system. Then believe it
is well worth the trouble to supply |
good, roomy bathing apartments for
all kinds of hogs, whether in summer
or winter. Hogs require nice, clean,
pure water for all purposes. 1t is adj
vocated by some that by boiling water
before giving to hogs wNl reduce the
liability of disease; germs that might
be in the water would thereby be kill
ed. The plan is good one and might
be more generally observed.
BroD,a. in Farmers Home Journal.
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