Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-11-04
Fall Pigs Are Profitable.

(E r. Wood in n. f. Homestead)
Properly handled. fall pigs will make
better growth than those farrowed in
spring. Warm quarters must be provided
upon the approach of cold weather. with
a good dry bed well Uttered. and a liberal
amount of nourishing food. Fall pigs
farrowed in September do best, as the
weather Is then warm without the eX-
treme heat which is so debilitating 10 all
good size is assured before cold weather
comes. The pigs may be weaned and the
dam again bred in time for an early
spring litter.
1t is good practice 10 let the COWS have
liberal range during the summer. After
harvest they will do well in the stubble
fields. where they CLEAN adj stray heads OF
grain, find grass along the fences, ana
require no other food. The exercise ne
cessitated is exactly what Is needed TO
insure healthy pigs. Just before farrow-
ing time take the sow TO the barn. where
the litter may be looked after to better
advantage than in the field. There VIII
be no danger of sows eating their young
If treated in this manner. As soon as
possible let the pigs out on the ground.
The exercise which they will then take is
good for them and they will do much
better than If kept in pen. Let the
sow's diet at first be restricted 10 lit
tie slop or bran masn. with plenty of cool
little pigs. Brans. ground oats or barley,
or any combination of these feeds, are
excellent, but avoid corn. MIX is also
excellent. and when fed to the dam will
induce a good flow for the pigs. Wean
September pigs in November, or when
about eight weeks old. They have learned
then TO eat. and will do well by them
selves. The SOW should be bred again as
soon as possible.
JUST after weaving is the most critical
period for the pigs If they are not intel
ligently fed they will not thrive. and once
at a standstill it is a skillful feeder in
deed who can again get them into condi-
ton. A pig once sgunted wall never get
as large as one which has been kept
growing from its birth. Furnish plenty Of
milk for the first few weeks after wean-
ing. Sweet skimmilk is best. as sour
milk is apt to cause bowel trouble, and
for this reason the use OF bufermdiE Is
not to be recommended for young pigs.
nor for sows while sucking her pigs:
Sweet skimmilk made into a thick slop
with bran or ground oats makes an eX-
cellent pig food.
The exact quantity of feed to be given
must be decided by the amount eaten.
Never feed so much that there is some
left i'm the trough at next feeding time
Overfed pigs are troubled with diarrhea
Better underfeed a little. Feed just what
the pigs win eat up clean before another
feeding time. Keep only pigs nearly OF
size together. Sort out the smaller ones
and keep them by themselves. l have
found that pigs do much better even in
mid-winter. unless the weather is es-
pecially severe or stormy. to have out
door exercise. Let them get to the
ground during the day. then shut in at
night where there is a good dry bed of
straw. Filthy resting places are az
abominable in a hogpen as elsewhere.
Corn should not be fed largely until the
hogs are about ready to be disposed of.
The other grains mentioned above are far
better to induce growth of bone and mus
Gle. The fat may be put on in four or six
weeks prior to marketing. by generous
corn diet. From six to eight months are
all that are required to bring the pig to
a point where the greatest profit is re-
allied. If they have been judiciousy fed
and cared for they ought to weigh go
pounds. dressed. at that age. and subse-
quent feeding is frequently done at d