St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-06-04
PRACTICAL HOG EXPERIENCE.
A Breeder o; Berkshlros Tells OF the Re
suits of His Tests In Breeding
and Feeding Hogs.

have been breeding Birkshires for
30 years, and during that time have
tried several other breeds in compare
tive tests. The wide-awake farmer en-
deavors to send IS little Of the fertility
of his soil as possible to market The
crops of his farm are disposed of as q
finished product OF the highest possible
type, so as to command the best mar
kct price. For this purpose found
that the Berkshire excels all other
breeds. These hogs have been i'm
proved for a century along the line of
converting a mixed diet of Stops, grass
and coarse vegetables into the very
finest quality of pork.
They are admirably adapted to fol-
lowing cattle, an l gather up the scat
tering grain and vegetables on the
farm, thus making them the general
purpose hog. My method of feeding
is to take the sow at least five weeks
before narrowing tino,, PIT her into
n large, roomy lot where she can have
plenty OF exercise and pure water, give
good warm, clean house to sleep in,
then commence to feed ut first, wheat
bran mixed with shorts and water.
gradually adding little shorts. in
crease the shorts. Have the slop 20
thick that it will run slowly when be-
ing poured. Feed twice a day until
within four days of narrowing, then drop
out the shorts and feed half as much
as before. A great flow of milk must
be avoided, as there is danger of milk
fever. Heavy feeding before farrow-
ing is to nourish the unborn pigs and
have them strong and vigorous. do
not feed the sow any the first day after
narrowing, and but very little the Sec
ond, then for week feed her wheat
bran mixed with water
The second week give some shorts in
the bran. and the thiro week half bran
and half shorts, continuing until the
pigs are old enough to wean. Give all
shorts and milk that she will eat up
clean, being careful not to overfeed. As
soon as the pigs are old enough to
eat. and that will be very soon il a
little patience is used, give them
milk from the COW, little at time,
and gradually increase the quantity
until they have learned to eat we'll.
Then mix skim milk with shorts or
sieved ground oats or ground wheat.
Feed twice day all they will cat up
clean. but do not leave any in the
trough to sour. Always feed sweet.
Let the sow run on clover field or q
green rye field while suckling. Give
charred corn-cobs once . week, and
have wood ashes, to which little salt
has been added, within easy reach OF
the sow.
When the pigs are two months to
ten weeks old, slip the sow away and
continue to feed the pigs shorts and
as much milk rs possible--4he more
the better. When i've or six
months old, put them ON clover
or green rye field and feed corn in the
ear, being careful to feed so the manure
will be scattered over the farm. I do
not feed any drugs to cure cholera, but
keep the house and pens all disinfected
with chloro-naptholeum. think the
germ of hog cholera can be destroyed
outside of the hog, but not after il has
entered the circulation. From six to
eight months 10 the best age 70 market,
or even younger, say from Eve to seven
months. They should weigh 800 70 3ol
pounds Hams and bacon made from
Berkshires treated in this way will
command the highest price In any mar.
ket in the w0rld.-gaxmere' 0vlde.
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