Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-09-10
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THUMBS IN i G
i""Euihate Fat and Lack Of Excrc,s
Causes the Comnio,n+

,""ses the plant
= correspondent at West Chester.
iowa writes, in regard to thmnps in
pigs:
VIII you please inform ne tbronch
'he columns Of your paper what Is tho
cause ana if there is any cure for
'hullpS among pigs? / have LOST
we've and have five sick now: hav,
used ~turpentinc, carbollc acid aud limo
Walter My pigs arc following cattle
iheg nave q range Of AZ acres. TWENTY
nNe OF which is in clover pastpre I
ieeu no dry food, keeping soaked oats
~ .heIr trough, and slop once a day.
ana 0 think very much of the dis.
ease at first, for il is n very common
disease; but II seems to be increasing
among mine. Some Of them live n
week or ten days aud some die in for
ty-elglit hours"
Nhlle not only thumps. but all other
diseases Of swine, are still slrouded
IN mystery. il is generally admitted
tnat an extensive accumulation of fat
around the internal organs is the cause
OF the jerking name of breathing
now denominated thumps. Inordinate
Iat ana lack Of exercise are nrime
causes or this complaint. and there is
but mite doubt bui the pigs Of our cor
respondent are altogether too fat for
health. The fo9d furnished by follow
ing cattle. presumably being fattened
on corn, is among the NEST nutritious
that a be fed. and although a large
pasture is provided with ample range.
the chance are that the pigs do hot
aNall themselves of the opportunities
Afforded for exercise. High-bred pigs.
as q rule. when food is abundant and
easily procured. take life easy. and. as
q result, fatten rapidly without a cor
responding increase and proper deyel-
opment of bone and muscle. From
The description given, we have not the
least doubt that the pigs, before il
was noticed that they were affected
with tins complaint, were what are
known rs beauties and the owner
was congratulating himself in having
one Of the finest lots Of Of pigs he yer
raised. But they We're too good. and
the highly nutritious ration and lack
of exercise must be considered the
chief cause of the complaint. The use
of medicine in thumps is usually of no
benefit whatever, and il is not a rem
edy, but. rather. n preventive, that Is
required. EPSON salts are recon-
mcnded by some. with the object of
reducing flesh; but this can best be
done 10y limiting the food and the gen
tie use Of a switch or a buggy whip.
Reduce the allowance of food and com
pei them 10 take exercise by driving
them around the pasture an hour or
two every day, and when the surplus
fat is worked off and the stomach be-
gins 10 crave food, tie pigs will get
the necessary exercise while hunting
for something tc allay their hunger.
The wild hog. half-starved and COM
PEELED 10 hustle for his living, was
rarely or ever troubled with thumps,
and there is no question but our man
uCr Of forcing pigs is responsible, in a
large measure, for many Of the COM
plants 10 which our highly-improvcd
hogs are subject. \ light ration of
bone and muscle-pTOduCing feed, such
Ms ground oats and shCTts made into
Swill. with coed pasture and Sufficient
appetite 10 compel the taking of eX-
erciSe IN search Of food, is worth far
more as n preventive ;han any rod
cine that IAN he administered after
disease has attacked the herd.