St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-04-25
FARMER AND PLANTER.
A CHAPTER ON SWINE.

4 CHAPTER ON SWINE.
l Hooslef swine- Breeder Tells How He
Prevents HIS Pigs From Losing Thrift |
and Condition Before and After Wean.
Ing.
BROTHER SWINE BREEDERs I am
salled upon to tell you how keep my |
pigs thriving before and after weaving.
In discharge Of my duty I will pre-
sent to you for your consideration .
part Of my experience in raising pigs. |
II there should be . single thought
suggested whereby anyone might be
benefited, l shall be simply repaid for
my trouble. lido not expect to tell you
OF any new theory, or make known
any great discovery. Iconfess that
know but very little that I did not
learn from some one else. and gener-
ally when I learned something by ex-
perience, found out shortly that some
one else knew the same thing and
more. But we can renew our minds
with things that have been repeated in
word and practiced time and again,
with benefit to some.
In the first place would say that l
would want to begin very early with
the pigs, if should expect excellence.
Even before the cross is made that is
10 bring about its existence. We want
the sire and dam from some Of the sub
stantial families, of good form and
well developed and in good thriving
condition at time of coupling. Now is
the time to feed the expected litter.
Give the SOW plenty of good, clean
range. Induce her to take rs much ex-
ercise as possible. Be careful and not
feed her too much corn because it is
handy. Use more bran, shorts, oats
and roots. Have her in good condition
at narrowing time. but not over fat.
We can reasonably expect an even
strong litter, one which any person
will feel like looking after. A pig we'll
born is half raised.
The first two weeks of the pigs life
l consider the most critical, or at least
it was always hard for me to get over.
Most people are inclined to want to
feed too much 1T this time. Better 60
little slow on the feed and pay
more attention to bed and bedding.
Keep the bed dry and clean. Get the
little fellows out in the sun the first
day if it is possible to do SO. Get them
to exercise. There is no medicine as
good as plenty Of exercise and sun
shine for pig, boy or any other grow
ing thing. Come mp gradually on the
feed, and at the end Of two weeks have
the sow on lks1scd. At abont two
weeks old We begin to tempt the pigs
with soslething good, such rs new milk
or shorts. 1t does not take them long
to learn to eat. II you get one started
the balance soon catch on. I think
the best thing l have tried to feed
pigs is shorts and milk, though
we don't always have milk enough
to 60 around. So we supply the lack
with water and kitchen slop. make Z
thick slop and feed sweet. Have .
place away from the sow to feed thu
pigs. Feed nearly all they will clear
up. As . rule we only feed twice
day. BY all means give them the rur
of q grass lot. I like bluegrass bes
in the forepart of the season, while i
is young and fresh, in the after par
clover. We let the pigs run with tn
sow rs much rs eight weeks, and If w
only want to raise the one litter in thu
year, we leave them together as Ion.
Is the sow will let them suck, which !
usually about twelve weeks.
One week before weaving time "
begin to increase the feed for the pig
and feed the sow less. At time Of sep
aration we take the sow a~Sy from til
pigs and leave the pigs at-home in tn
quarters they are used to. Take tn
/ sow clear out of hearing. Then If Their
! Is any fretting it will be done BY tn
sow, which will be q benefit to her O
causing her to dry up rapidly and i
rood shape. At this time feed tn
pigs literally with shorts and mil
three times . day for awhile. In abou
two weeks we drop back to two feed
10 day. BY this treatment W
never notice any check n growt
lat weaving time. From this tim
on we continue the former feed an
add bran, ground cat, some tim
lground barley or rye and apples {
most anything I have that pig like
Do 1 feed corn? Yes 1 most alway
have . crib with some corn in it and
use it It al seasons of the year when
.. think it advisable. but it is no use
. tell anyone to feed corn to = no,
. Nearly all of US feed too much Of it
: pigs intended for breeders. Many M
full prospect has been ruined ~ bree
er by feeding too mceh corn. We ket
on hand al the time and use 1t all Sc
sons plenty of wood ashes, charcos
lime and salt BY Ill means study yo'
business and attend to it every da
Ii recognized the fact that in thi
rs everything else in life. if one won
Excel, or even succeed, it must be
the cost Of eternal vigilance. Dor
!. expect in the last few weeks to NAL
amends for . whole season Of neglec
: The paper brought ont some discu
sion, mainly on the question of Il
number of feeds . day, two or thre
Al the close OF the discussion the sit
: alton remained Unchanged. MAJ
. breeders, all successful, were repz
> scented ON both sides, and the gcner
opinion was that either method, 81
plemented by good Judgment, "
equally rs successful.-Paper read
J. NJ. Clawson, at the late meeting
the Indiana Swine Breeders at India
apolia.
: TIKI PEANUT.
49, F>ces In Relstisa - sAs Fssei