Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-02-22
c.,ias for tn. ss- and ne, r,s..

Csriss for the ssw and Hss Pigs
The following paper. read by Mr.. Ed
KieyeF al the recent meeting Of the
Illinois Swine breeders association.
viil intsres, many readers:
Thirty years as q breeder OF Poland
China Swine hss afforded good oppor-
Iunity for the study OF some phrases.
al least o. swine breeding During
this time ! have become impressed
with the fac; that all OF us can i'm
prove our methods Of caring for the
SOW and litter. II hint Of some
things that you are doing which should
not be done. or things that you should
DO which you are not doing and sue
eeed In getting you 10 feed and care
for the SOW and pigs the best ve
know. then this paper will 20, have
been In vain. o
First: will speak of how the SOW
should be cared for from the time OF
service until pigs are farro~ed. ~
the time the so~ Ia bred. abe should
be In a thriving condition: not fat.
neither should she be poor. Just In
good condition and when known to be
safe In pig she should be kept 10 rs
near the same order up TO fasfowins
time a. she was the day served. And
I would no; feed her too much corn.
to keep up that order. In fact very IT.
hea; and will make the SOW very fe-
verlsh At farrovins time. and more
than likely your eorn-sed-soS VIII
have milk fever when pigs are about
tuen,y-sour hours old. and then starro
the pigs TO death. The bes, feed
have tried for kows in pig during the
winter months IL oats and ship stun.
equal In bulk. mixed and fed dry In
;TouShs. and when the ground Is frozen
would add a small handful OF oil
meal for each SOW. mixed In ASh the
oats and ship stun and fed In the
morning with little corn At night
A few days before time for SOW to far
ro~ she shoaid bc put by herself where
she will have a good warm house TO
.arrow 10. and should bo fed sparinsiy
with ship stun made In thick mash.
with no corn at all.
When she sarrows she should not Be
FED anything for t~en'y-four hours
after farro~ing. but should have
water. then she can be fed. say not
over a quart OF the ship stun made In
a thick mash and fed morning and
evening. Gradually increase the feed
until you get up to gallon or more
by the time pigs are two weeks old
A SOW sucking pigs should never be
fed all shc can eat when the pigs arc
four or Ave days old they should be
taught to follow the SOW out. so they
will get exercise and not become too
fat. when the pigs are about two
weeks old you can safely give the SOW
an ear or two OF corn each day in con-
nection with the ship stun and can In
crease the corn As the needs Of the
sow require. when the pigs are four
or Ave weeks old they should have q
trough In n pen where they can so In
from the SOW and be fed some ground
oats and corn. Oats and corn should
be mixed In about equal parts and
ground together very fine. should
feed this until pigs get old enough to
crack corn and chew It nns enough to
be easily digested. When the weather
gets warmer you can mix the ground
oats and corn with the ship stun in a
thick slop and give them some In the
pen away from the SOW.
Now, we have pigs along where It
Is time to try ans develop bone and
frame, and many a fine pig has been
ruined when he is about four months
old by his owner wanting him to look
better than any other breeders pig.
Pigs should be fed very carefully until
six months old and never be crowded.
They should be fed for growth and not
for fat. Pigs that are made fat while
young never develop into fine hogs,
In fact pigs should never be fed all
they will eat before they are six
old, and have my doubts IL
at any time in their life. that is. those
intended for breeders.
Now, in conclusion. l will say, that
SOW and pigs should have the run Of
a grass lot and when the pigs are about
three months old they should have the
run of larger pasture, for exercise is
very essential to the development Of
bone and muscle and will help them to
digest what they eat and give them
good appetites to begin with. The pigs
should be kept clean from lice as well
as from mud and other filth. The clean
er we keep our pigs. and the cleaner
we keep their feeding and sleeping
places the better they will do. Some
may say: why not add a little milk
to the ship stuff for the plgs?" l never
feed what haven't got.
Heredlty.
Of cnnrsn tho thnnru of haradi... L.