Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-06-13
HOG FEEDING NOTES.
Food for Preparing Mature Animals
for Market and Keeping the
Young in Good Condition.

Farmers who are fattening hogs
for the market should first consider
the needs of the market where they
wish to sell. Some markets to meet
the wants of their customers ask for
lean pork, as there is a tendency
among the masses for more lean
meat and less fat. Pork with fair
admixture of lean and fat is best
produced in bulk by feeding ell the
whey the swine will drink, mixed
with small grain ration. consisting
of one part cornmeal, two parts
wheat bran and one part middlings,
fed to the swine three times a day.
There should not be any food left
in the trough or pen; then the hogs
will have good appetite for the
next meal.
When fattening time comes still
feed some whey with q heavier grain
ration consisting of one-half corn
meal, one-quarter bran and one-quar-
ter ground oats or middlings. At
this time give hogs all they will
eat clean twice day. never could
keep fattening hogs hungry enough
to eat to advantage three meals a
day, and in very short time they
lie very quiet on two meals a day.
When the lean porkers are heavy
enough to kill, which should not be
later than September or October,
then feed just enough rations to
keep them from falling away until
the markets are ready for fresh
pork; then kill and ship.
Farmers who depend on milk to
feed their hogs through the summer,
If they are feeding for fat alone, will
gain about one-third in fat, and there
will be saving Of grain at fatten-
ing time if they are fed one pint of
cornmeal to each hog with milk
three times day up to September.
Then, as the hogs will gain more
fat during September and October
than In the colder months, the grain
ration should be increased daily, and
less milk fed until fat enough to kill.
The pigs I feed through the win
ter to fatten the coming fall are fed
new warm milk for week, after I
take them from the SOW, then good
SKINNED milk. with boiled potatoes
and mush. usually made from equal
parts Of cornmeal. bran and mid
dlings, or ground oats, fed warm, un-
til two months old. Then feed a
scalded ration Of one-third cornmeal
and two-thirds bran. which contains
small percentage Of middlings,
mixed with milk or water. feed
pigs when they are three months old,
giving each one pint OF cornmeal and
three pints of bran In warm slop,
enough to fill the stomach, twice q
day. I increase the grain gradually
as time advances. Thus fed. the pigs
grow finely and Just fat enough to
keep warm and healthy. For a
change they get roots, apples, char
coal, ashes and salt.
In their sleeping apartment they
have new nest every night, and are
thus kept comfortable and dry.
Then they have place for feeding,
and beyond that MUSHROOM. with
a plank floor with drainage, all IN
der cover. SO they are out Of the
storm and wind.
I seldom have any sickness or trou-
BILE with swine at any age, unless I
overfeed, and that rarely do. When
such is the case I skip one meal and
feed less for few days, and then
the porkers are ready for work again.
keep the pens clean and ~ for
health and the swine free from lice.
If a louise makes its appearance ]
grease the pigs and hogs with ma
chine oil. This is sure riddance
to hog lice. To clear the pens Of lice
I give them thorough cleaning with
lime and hot water. A kerosene
emulsion is good and handy for lice
and for cleansing the sty.-N. Y.
Tribune-Farmer.