The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-07-10
Live Stock.
THE sow AND HER YOUNG PIGS.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.

the SOW Just right WhGGn6r the young
pigs prove a success or not tina
special treatment should be given t.
the animal two months before far
rowing time. The SOW that is fec
properly weeks beforehand will MOI
be in a feverish condition, and there
will be no danger of her injuring the
young pigs or giving to them swine
disease that may develop later. The
SOW that is fed heavily of corn right
up to the time of narrowing is not
likely to produce pigs that will from
the start thrive we'll. They will in
herit tendencies from their mother
that will soon show in the blood, and
hog cholera and other complaints
will more than likely be their lot in
life.
l believe from my own experience
that there is more in preventive
measures than in curative in hand
ling swine. have rarely had to use
medicines other than such as salt,
ashes and charcoal, which should al
ways be on hand for the sow and lit
tie pigs. Fully two months before
narrowing time I begin to diminish
the corn as a daily food for the SOW,
and by the time the pigs come the
mothers blood is free from the heat
ing influences of heavy corn diet. In
place of the corn 1 give the SOW lib
orally of ground oats, and Stops of
milk in which wheat, bran and mid
dlings are mixed. In this way the
animal gets a wet food, and plenty
of the heterogeneous substances. Any
thing like succulent roots that may
be on hand, and green vegetables to
add TO the diet will be appreciated
by the animal. With the diet
changed from corn to these different
foods a month before narrowing time
the SOW will not get too fat and lazy,
but if given the space she will exer-
else daily.
The pigs of such sows are always
born in a strong, healthy condition,
and the SOW is in excellent physical
health for supporting them. Mother
and pigs should be left alone for a
day and night after the latter are
born, and nothing except fresh water
should be placed near her. After
that feed sparingly of bran Stops, not
as much as the SOW wants, but Just
enough to keep her in good condi-
ton without making too much milk
which the pigs Will not be able to
eat. As the pigs grow older they
will take more milk from the sow,
and the food can be increased, and
the end of ten days full rations
can be given. Not until after this
period should any corn he given to
sow, and even then very sDaring-
y Mother ana pigs should be
burned into a clover field as soon as
possible, and with plenty Of space.
'lean water, clover, and some slops.
hey will thrive and grow without
much danger of sickness. The pics
be weaDed at least in eight
weeks, and their diet should also be
given according to the season and
good sense.
SAVING THE YOUNG PIGS.
The high mortality among young
)igs is sometimes discouraging, espe-
tally to a beginner, who may not
)e able to realize that at the bottom
lis method of breeding and rearing
the direct cause Of the trouble.
is often harder to convince a young
breeder than an old one that it is
possible to reduce the mortality very
materially. The cause of the high
mortality invariably begins before
he birth of the pigs, and then con-
inues afterward, intensified and ag-
Sravated by ignorance. The feeding
nd management of the SOW before
arrOwing time r so important that
f this work has not been attended to
properly up to the time of the birth
# the pigs, it would be impossible
or any one to say how many of the
title may die. There is, however, a
nance left yet, and if good manage
nent is accorded the creatures the
mortality among them may yet be
low. But at the best it is work
ng against inherited tendencies that
nay at any moment assert them
elves. In fact, the evil cannot be
emedied absolutely even if the sows
not yet narrowed, but are ex-
lected to in q week or two Tho hot