Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-10-29
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE SWINE INDUSTRY.
The Hog and How to Make the Most o
Him.

!
Paper read by L. A. Davis before the Ken
lucky Swine Breeders association, ut Shelby.
vile, KY, August 81, 1897
The swine industry, occupying the
important place that it does in our do
nestle economy, us well as in the great
markets of the world, naturally sug-
gests to anyone engaged in the enter
prise the question: 'fIow can i make
the most of him?" And now, realizing
this to be subject on which there ex-
lists great divergence of opinion, i
snail endeavor to be brief, basing my
remarks ON personal experience and
oberyation during the past 40 years.
Let me say in the beginning that
the first thing necessary to success in
swine breeding and feeding, as in any
other undertaking, is to make up your
mind To succeed. This done, you are
now ready to decide the next question:
with what breed shall beginw-a
question which everyone must decide
Tor himself. Aim to select some breed
that is docile and kind, prolific in Off
spring, good suckers and careful moth
ers, keeping in mind the feet that
what the farmer and stock raiser of to-
day demand is hog that is market
aoie at any age-one that has good,
strong constitution, sucn DIS will en-
able 1T to withstand the ordinary trials
and vicissitudes OF hogs life.
Having decided what breed you pre-
fer, the next question is: "Where shall
| get themw If you are good Judge,
visit the heard and make your own Sc
lection. III this is not convenient, or
II you are not competent Judge, write
to some reputable breeder who has had
experience in raising the kind OF hog
you wish to produces; tell him as near
~ as you can what you want and for
what purpose you are going to breed,
and ten chances to one he will suit you
better than had you yourself made the
selection. Do not let few dollars in
the price throw you off; buy moth
ing but the best prefer pigs from
mature sows and dams. us they
are usually stronger and de-
velop into better hogs. If they are
shipped to you, make no delay in get
ting them out of the crate; turn them
into grass lot with plenty of clean
water to drink, and feed lightly for a
few days. Let this be some laxative
food, since being somewhat cramped
from shipping, the digestive organs
are apt to be impaired. If the weather
is disagreeable, be sure you supply
comfortable sleeping quarters Hav-
ing now the foundation on which to
build a herd, do not make that COM
mon mistake of putting too many to-
gether The chances for disease are
tenfold greater in herd of 200
than in u herd of so. Have a
separate grass lot with plenty of wa
ter for the boar, and always be kind
and gentle with him. Supply him
with a variety of well-balanced food,
such as will produce good bone and
muscle; provide bed in winter and n
shade in summer; never let him know
there is any place to roam other than |
IN his own lot, and he will give you no |
trouble. The sows should have a
larger range OF pasture, and for brood |
sows, very little grain. When the
time you wish to breed approaches,
place them in n lot adjoining the one
occupied by the boar; turn them
In with him one at time.
and usually one service is sufli-
Gent to guarantee a fine litter OF
pigs. Make record of the time each
sow was bred, add to this date 112
days and you have the day ON which
you may expect pigs to come. Now
lew words regarding the care of the
SOW during pregnancy: The mistake
most often made is in feeding too much
corn, thereby producing an over-abund-
ance OF fat Give them variety of
bone and muscle-producing food, be-
ing careful, however, not to go to the
other extreme and keep them too lean.
on The score of economy and health, l
nave become strong believer in roots
Tor winter feeding, though l should by
no means neglect wheat bran, since it
aids materially in securing good de-
velopment of bone and muscle in the
offspring. Then as the time ap-
proaches for the pigs to come, be sure
you are prepared to receive and give
them proper care and attention on :
their arrival. Prepare comfortable r
quarters, and have each SOW TO herself; !
place her there about u week before
lime to farrow, that she may become
accustomed to the surroundings. Pay q
strict attention at time of farrowipp.
but unless your services are really q
needed, do not modest her for at least :
Y or "a hours. Feed but little the first q
ew days, giving nothing that would I
'reate fever, but allowing her to have U
'lenty OF pure water and to Craze at :
VIII. The sows should remain sepa- h
ute ten or twelve days, after which .
line the pigs will know their mothers a
md may then be allowed to run to- n
'ether. Teach the pigs to eat us soon +
IS possible; make pen which the sows a
an not enter in which to feed them: =
'lace in this u shallow trough, to n
which you can coax them at first with " "
little sweet milk. After few DAYS a.
nix in a little wheat bran; increase q,
he amount of food gradually, and a,
y the time the pigs are four "
weeks old they will be strong
nd vigorous by this time you
ave your SOW on full ratiops
live such food as will produce the az
reatest flow of milk and ut the same sc
lme keep up flesh and strength. 1t OF
iatters not how much slop is given, be I'll
nre that they have all the pure water ve
hey will drink. Now s/the time the
'w needs pasture most, OF which m
lover should form the basis. Turn th
lem on rye, wheat or barley the lat f,
" part OF winter, on clover in the til
BRING, and ihen have an acre or two W
sorghum, on which to put them
hen the clover begins to get tough, he
nd you will be surprised to see not o.
ally how they relish it, but the -.