Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-10-23
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"srsRp rHl PIow.

Correspondents on practical agrscunurs scpsc,
| h soncfted. Address al communications N
snaed TOR this department. TO aExsi ID. Han
nosp. Agricultural Editor Oxford DemocrH
1 Paris. Ne.
BEST RAI,oNs ron SWINE.
The successful hog feeder must keep
In his mind good many scientific N
well as practical fScts II he IL to make
the most out of his business. In regard
TO feeding stuff, be should clearly dis
inguish at all times what nutrients the
various articles furnish and what bis
animals require. He early learns iu
studying the subject that such feeds as
skimmilk, buttermilk, middlings or ship
stoh, gluten feed, peas and oats ara al
rich In protein, which goes to build up
the muscles or the red meat of the body,
and also rich In ash, which builds up
the eony framework. Grasses and
clovers used for pasture purposes also
assist swine in building up their bodies.
Corn is par excellence u carbohydrate
aud tat food, its purpose 10 feeding being
10 build up the fatty portion Of the
animal body and 20 aid In keeping II
warm. Wheat and barley are inter-
mediate, furnishing considerable muscle
and BODYBUILDING material, while being
largely Of q fst-ouilding order.
With this explanation we can easily
understand why brood sows before fsr-
rowing and while sucking their young
and growing pigs, both before and after
weaving, should all receive - liberal
supply Of such feeds as are named In the
first list.
The best of all these feeds for young
pigs, all things considered, are skimmilk
and buttermiik, for nature intended milk
for young animals. Skimmilk Is like
wise useful for feeding fsttening hogs.
As an average Of many trials conducted
oy the writer. u vas found that 4s5
pounds Of skimmilk fed In connection
with cornmesl saved 100 pounds Of corn
meal with fzttening hogs. Next TO
skimmilk for growing pigs comes wheat
middlings ship stuff which feeding
stuff is most sppetizing and highly sp-
preciated. Rich In ash, IL builds mp the
bones, and carrying much protein, it
fsyors muscular development. Most
swine feeders can secure from one source
or smother either skimmilk Cor butter
milk, which IL practically the same
thing or middlings. With these feeds
they are able TO produce good shotes.
About 500 pounds OF corn will produce
100 pounds gain with shotes. III they
are lean bur healthy aud with vigorous
sppetites when the feeding period be-
gins, they will lay on the first gains st
the rate OF 100 pounds gain for 100
pounds OF shelled corn. IL nigh feeding
coatinues more than sven or eight
weeks and the pigs are then quite fat, IL
will require resrly or quite 600 pounds
OF shelled corn for 100 pounds of gain.
MANY farmers query whether or not IL
pays 10 grind corn for hogs. l have
been experimenting for i've years and
tind varying results. Sometimes there
has been IN sctusl loss by GRADING the
corn to mesl for fsrtening hogs, and
other times quite considerable gain.
In general, for healthy, vigorous hogs,
lean In flesh. grinding the corn does not
seem 20 paw, while II We wish to push
the animals ahead rapidly we can get
them 10 eat more feed and make some
what faster gains by reducing the corn
10 meal oy grinding. OF course old or
hard corn should xlwsys be either re-
duced 70 meal or well soSked before
feeding. Where the fsttening period is
TO continue as long as eight weeks, some
skimmilk, middltngs. oats or other
secondary feeding stuff should be given.
such feed not only furnishes nutrimenj,
out Increases the pslStAbihty of the feed
and aids, apparently, Ia the work OF d.
gestiou. Two feeds always give better
results when givea together than each
would u fed separately. FaItening
swine, especially those getting much
corn, should always be fed some salt,
and it IL important that they have sup
ply OF such substances ~ wood ashes,
hard coal ashes, corn cob charcoal, etc.
even lime, soft brick or soft sandstone
are eagerly eaten and seem 10 have
good effect. Perhaps these substances
correct scidiry OF the stomach, or they
may De useful Ia killing intestinal
worms. At any rate, since there IL =
strong craving for them, and the snim.ls
seem 10 thrive when such substances are
supplied, they should not be withheld.
Outside OF the corn districts barley
will prove most useful grain feed FOR
swine. The Danish experiments and The
experience Of Canadian farmers 10 pro-
dlcing fine pork sll conarm the high
value Of barley 10 the quality Of pork it
produces. For mere increase In weight,
corn leads barley by about 5 per cent,
but corn pork is softer and OF not 80
high quality generally as that made
from barley. wheSt IL about equal 10
corn for pork production 80 far a. max
ing gains are concerned. Both the
wheat and barley are useful in feeding
Young pigs, because they contain con-
siderable protein. Oats are = useful feed
Ia the hands OF the intelligent pig raiser.
Shotes, and especially breeding stock,
are apt 10 lie 700 much OF the time 10
their warm beds In the winter aud not
ger enough exercise. They can be forced
10 take exercise by spripkling oSt grains
thinly over feeding floor. The animals
will then have TO pick up the grains one
oy one, and in 50 doing will be compelled
70 remain on their feet and walk about
considerably. For very young pigs, the
oats should be ground and the huils re-
moved By using the sieve. The p7rt ro-
moved can be fed TO cattle so there Is no
waste. Young pigs can be Ted 'ostmeai
made iuto porridge With warm water
and on this food they viii thrive amaz-
iugly. Such meal Is an excellent sub
stirute for skimmilk or middlings, or
better vet IL can be fed In cOmoinstion
with them or along with the corn or
corn meal.
do not wish 20 be understood as say
ing that Young pigs should have no corn.
When feeding skimmilk, middlings, ETC.,
a .hird of the nourishment for these
youns animals can be made up OF corn
sud corn meal, and as they GET older the
proportion can be increased until Win
hogs shut up for fatsening, two-thirds or
three fourths OF the ration can consist
of corn.
The excessive use Of corn with young
pigs 10 plainly shown by the weak bones
which they possess and their over-fat
condition while young. In some feed.
ing experiments made years ago led
nigs after they had reached 100 pounds,
Exclusively on corn from II 20 l5 weeks.
when these pigs were killed their bodies
we're found 70 be q mass OF fat, and their
homes were greatly weakened, as wss
found by testing them In = macnine
made for such purposes. They were
| a lff.rent looking animals from others OF
the same litters which had been fed dur
ing the same time on q variety OF feeding
stoffs.
| II mot difficult TO believe thst pigs
| ~ haze homes are weakened and whose
muscles are but partially developed
through imperfect feeding are more sus-
ceptible to hog cholera than animals 10
full vigor through exercise, pasture sno