The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-11-27
FARMER AND PLANTER.
PIGS FoR PROFIT.
Hints that, Followed, viii Bring Success
In Hog Raising.

Hints that, Followed, viii Bring Success
In Hog Raising.
In order to bring my object properly
before you it will be necessary for me
to step back for period of at least six
months to lay my foundation by secur-
ing breeding animals This l do as
early in the season as possible by select
ing the thriftiest and foremost sow pigs
l can obtain. Let them be as uniform
in size, age and color as possible, as
we'll as of one distinct breed of what
ever kind YOU may fancy. / prefer
large, rangy sows for good breeders; and
here / would remind y6d that profits
are not, as rule, gained in large fldm-
bers of swine, hence the number should
be guided somewhat according to your
conveniences. Having selected the
sows, it will he necessary for you to
obtain suitable sire-and I would
always favor pure-bred animal
true type of the breed he repre-
sents, an animal so strongly bred that
he will in every instance reproduce him
self under good circumstances. Let
him be uniform in quality, not weak in
any of the essential parts, as he would
be just as likely to transmit the weak
points as the good ones; and want
him to have the fattening qualities as
we'll as the early maturity. You can
then expect a profitable cross. The
feed aud care of breeding animals should
be carried out on scientific principles
that is, with an object of making good
healthy growth, but not to produce ex-
cessive fat Give plenty of exercise,
| always remembering that kindness will
accomplish mitch, as we'll as increase
the number of pigs. The time for
pigs to come should be governed ac-
cording to circumstances. If your
buildings are so arranged with COM
fort that you can safely receive
| pigs in March, | think they are most
profitable tor several reasons; but do
not chance it otherwise. consider the
loss of litter of pigs the greatest loss
of any animals of spring. If your COW
loses a calf she will pay for her keeping
in milk, or the mare may be put to
work. but your sow is not in fit con-
dition for any thing at present. When
pigs have arrived they need a great
deal of care and attention, as we'll as the
SOW, until they are able to help them
selves. The SOW should be fed very
sparingly for the first week, and in
| creased according to the demands made
upon her by the sucklings. At the age
OF two weeks they may be taught to eat
| light food and drink sweet milk 1t is
usually considered that the first four
weeks of the pigs life is the time to
make him develop his natural form. If
stunted at this time he will like
ly always show it, or at least he will
be behind his fellows. There are
many things to be considered in pig
feeding. At this age, erowding too
bard on concentrated or heavy food is
dangerous, as the pigs are tender and
liable to many ailments, for while we
desire to obtain fast growth, excessive
| fat is not desirable, but rather injurious
to health. For this reason 1 prefer
| light food, such as ground oats, shorts,
bran and but little corn, plenty of grass
or green feed, with plenty of exercise,
sack feed from one feeding to another,
but never sour. Feed at regular hours
A little practice will soon tell you just
how much to feed. Never feed more
than they clean up every time. Give
them plenty of fresh water at all times.
Allow no stagnant pools or hog wallows
around to drink out of. A clean, fresh
water bath is good for pigs and can east
| ly be made out of few boards made in
a box, and set in the ground at proper
depth.-A. B. johnson, in Mark Lane
Express.