St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-02-19
SWINE DISEASES.
Modern Methods OF Feeding to Some Ex-
tent ResDOnsiblc.

Modern Methods OF Feeding to Some Ex-
tent Responsible.
However various may be the opin-
ions among swine growers as to the
cause or causes of the diseases which
carry off SO many hogs every year,
there is no question as to the great
losses which the diseases infiict. Many
think that breeding for early maturity
occasions loss of stamina which
makes the hog more readily succumb.
Others talk most of the effects of con-
:inuous corn feeding as producing a
decline in vigor that renders swine less
able to resist disease, while others
place the whole blame on defective
sanitary conditions. Additional theo-
ries exist and might be cited if it were
necessary. 1t is probable that the
early matured animal, at present de-
manded, does suffer some loss of stam-
ina, but a course of breeding that
makes hogs marketable at eight in
stead of Is months is not very likely to
be given up, even though some loses
do result from it.
There is margin of advantage suffi-
GENTLY large to stand some loss. 1t is
probably quite certain, too. that con-
linuous corn feeding, and especially
the feeding of new corn, occasions loss,
but here, also, In corn country there
are gains from this course of feeding
which go to make up for the losses.
There is not, however, any gain in any
direction from maintaining bad sani-
larry conditions and treating the hog
upon the false theory that he thrives
best in the midst of filth. There is
never any compensation gained in
keeping hogs in large punches instead
of dividing the stock up into several
small ones. If there is one thing well
settled in the minds of investigators
with regard to the fatal germ diseases.
it is that when hogs die of cholera or
swine plague, the carcasses should be
burned.
Some authorities, as a permissible
i alternative, say that it will do to bury
four feet deep. provided the carcass is
covered with quicklime, but in how
many hundreds and thousands of cases
all over the swine belt has it been the
custom TO dispose of the carcasses in
the easiest possible way, either not
burying them at all, throwing them
into some out-of-the-way slough from
which the drainage contaminates the
water courses and spreads disease to
given, it is of the rudest and most care
less kind, barely covering the carcass
and not at all preventing the subsc.
quent spread of the disease. In cholera,
too, how little restraint is placed up
on visitors TO herds. A man may visit
half dozen herds in day in which
| one had the cholera in the morning,
and may plant the seeds of the disease
in the whole of them before nightfall.
When the stock on a farm is cleaned
out and il is re-stocked, in how MANY
| instances is there an utter failure to
take any adequate precautions against
| the spread of the disease to the new
stock from the old pens, yards, etc. In
our correspondence with inquiries in
this situation we have been struck
with the number of cases in which
those who realize the necessity of do
ing some disinfecting, seem anxiou.
to see how little they can possibly gel
along with. There is hardly a doubt
that swine growers have been large
~ responsible in the past for tn.
frequent outbreaks of cholera, be
cause of habitual neglect 10 observe
necessary sanitary precautions. 1t may
he that in most cases the neglect wa.
due to want of knowledge. but for tn,
future it wall be much less excusable
because the necessity for good santa
ton has been SO dwelt upon that tn,
failure to give it is SHINING agains
light. II the swine grower will make
up his mind to grow only as many hog
as he can take care of as they ought t.
be taken care of, the probabilities ar,
that he will find himself better on =
tho end of the season than he would b,
by growing much larger number and
keeping them under conditions thu
] are almost sure to make Q clean sweeI
of the herd when disease once begins
j -Homestead.