The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-03-06
Feeding SOws,

A short time ago the Farm and Dairy. of
Ames, Iowa addressed the following letter
to several leading swine breeders:
Dear Sir-Will you kindly answer the fol-
lowing questions:
Do you believe in feeding Stops and milk
producing foods to sows during the two
weeks Immediately preceding narrowing?
What foods can properly constitute ration
at that time?
recent issued contains the following
from some of the leading breeders of Iowa:
w. u. SWALLOW, BONNEVILLE, IOWA.
In regard to brood sows' food before far
rowing time, 1 think equal parts of bran
and shorts would make the food strong
enough; mix with water or sweet milk.
Oats and wheat, half and half, make good
feed Don't feed too strong before farrow-
ing time. If you do it will cause too much
milk to flow, and that will often scour the
pigs. My herd has done nicely this fall and
winter. No disease in part of Iowa
Pig trade good. l shipped pigs the first Is
days in January, this year, to nine differ
ent states.
c. g. BARCLAY, WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
/ would not feed Stops and milk at that
period only very lightly. If the SOW has
been kept, as is usually the case on corn
and water radical change at that time
would be detrimental to both sows and
pigs. AS sows usually kept l think
the feeding of roots potatoes and a lit
tie oil meal a week or two before farrow-
ing very beneficial, and a change to the
place where she is to have her nest so that
she will be comfortable and satisfied. 1t is
very poor plan to leave a SOW until she
commences to make nest and then change
Comfort and satisfaction and good condi-
ton goes long ways in success or luck
In raising pigs or any other stock.
]. S. FAWCESS, SPRINGDALE, IOWA
The Ia years 1 have been breeding Poland
Chinas the same course has been followed
with my brood Sows. During the winter
feed hpAn a nd fS sod hn1 md
dry, with clover hay so that they can have
1t whenever they want it; find they eat
quite a good deal and 1 believe it is very
beneficial Have fed but very little sop to
brood sows before narrowing What little
milk we have to spare 1 give them, and
would much more if l had it. but we do
our milking for the creamery in summer
consequently have but little in winter moro
than the calves will take. Last season I
had very good luck with my pigs and did
not feed one ounce of medicine or oil meal
A little separator milk seemed to answer
Tor BOTH In II years l have not lost SOW
at narrowing, and only once in that time
have l had a sow that could not without
nelp give birth to her offspring. I am in
clned to the opinion that almost any Iowa
farm produces nicely balanced ration. if
Judiciously handled, for brood sows, or hogs
of any age.
L: M. VAN AUKEN, MASON CITY, IA.
These questions although short and con-
else, admit of variety of answers. If in
the winter, c.. at any time that sows had
to be kept in close confinement without
grass or weeds, for mature milk producers
while in an advanced state of pregnancy.
l should make bran and oats and shorts
slop with roots their principal ration, with
enough corn or other fat producing food
to keep them in perfect health and
strength. Again. if in the summer, and
they had the run of big pastures with
plenty of grass, very little corn or fat
producing food would suffice. But if they
had been poorly kept and half starved up
to within two weeks Of narrowing, I would
vary their ration the last two weeks so as
to make up as far as possible in that short
time the lack of proper previous rations.