The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-11-14
SEoCE
IcoNTINUED FROM LAST WEEK J
PROFITABLE PORK RAISING.
No. 3.
rHE CARE Oh SOW AID PIGS.

Il CARE OF SOW AND PIGS
Corregpondence of the Progressive Farmer
II the SOW is getting too fat and
heavy, the Quantity OF food should DC
reduced some two or three weeks be
fore narrowing time. The young pigs
will not require a great deal OF mllk
until they are ten days or two weeks
old. consequently at the time the pigs
are horn and for q few days thereafter
the sow's food should not be very great
in quantity nor rich in quality. Ii
should be of q cooling rather than heat
ing nature. It is a mistake to feed the
SOW largely IN corn or other oncen
trated grains at this time.
As o as narrowing Is finished the
mother should have plenty OF warm
water with a little ground oats, wheat
middlings or even corn meal stirred
into it. This overcomes the feverlsh
condition go apt to show at this time
and frequently keeps the SOW from
forming the habit of eating her young.
Cold water, ct specially In the winter, Is
liable to induce chilIs, doing o harm
than good; therefore should be with
held for at least three or four days
after the young are born.
The pigs require comparatively q
small amount Of milk until they are q
week or ten days old, at which time
they begin to, grow rapidly; the food
supply must then be increased daily to
meet the increasing demands. A litter
of eight pigs growing rapidly at three
weeks of age consume about three gal
Ions of milk per day. This they must
get through the SOW, hence the reason
for supplying her with an abundance OF
milk making food. The food should
increase n quantity and quality after
the end OF the first week. Give the
SOW an abundance OF warm slops mace
from kitchen refuse TO which the waste
milk from the dairy should be added ;
into this stir pea meel, ground cats,
wheat bran or middlings and a smali
amount Of corn meal to make a thick
slop and feed while warm and sweet
Sour aud chilled or frozen slop fed to
the mother often result IL s,ours and
diarrlo ea in the pigs. Refuse fruits
and vegetables now add much to the
efficiency Of the other foods and should
be allo wed IN liberal amounts.
1t possible, while sucking her young,
the SOW should have the run Of a good
pasture Of clover or pea vines, vetch or
rape in spring, summer and early fall.
In winter the pasture should be com
posed Of rape and vetch or crimson
clover and vetch, or another good mix
ture, especially On rich land, is vetch,
oats, rye and barley, sown in Septem
Der for Nor th Carolina or Virginia;
further North il should be sown earlier
or further South later sowing would be
better.
When three or four weeks Old the
pigs will begin TO cat fine grain and
drink milk or fresh slops from the
trough. they should now be provided
with a pen Sd arranged as to admit
them but at the same time exclude the
older hogs. In this pen a trough con
tanning the choicest Stops and a box
contracting good sound grains should be
kept for the pigs to help themselves as
they want to. When treated as I have
outlined a we'll bred pig should weigh
from thirty five to forty pounds at
eight weeks old and is ready
to wean. Weaving should be done
gradually. Allow the pigs to be with
the SOW a half an hour at a time twice
a day for three or four days, then once
a day for four or five days, after which
they may be shut off entirely without
receiving any check in growth, pro
vided they havea an abundanceot proper
food.
J. NJ. JOHNSON
N. O. Experiment Station, West Raj
eigh, N. o.
ITO BE CONTINUED
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