St. Tammany farmer., 1903-05-09
FARMER AND PLANTER.
HOG NATURE AND IT'S NEEDS.

hog NATURE AND IT'S NEEDS.
Raising of an Important Por-
ton of Our Meat Supply.
The hog can hardly be classed as an
attractive animal in name, nature or
appearance, but it has put more
struggling farmers and stockmen on
their financial feet than any otEer
domestic animal raised in our coun-
try.
The nature and well-being Of the
hog are less understood, and consid-
cred, too, than is the case with other
stock, resulting from the mistaken
idea that the hog can endure all kinds
of treatment and vet thrive. Very
few of the millions annually raised
are spoiled with kindness, but much
the greater proportion have too much
of the "root, hog, or die" treatment.
The greatest foes to the weil-belng
of the hog in the more northern por-
tions of our country are cold and
dampness. The hog and human fami-
lies are quite similar in at least one
respect, which is their need OF
warmth and a dry, comfortable bed
when at rest. The hog, coming orig
inally from hot climate, is still as
unprotected by his scant, bristly cov-
ering as ever. In fact, the brist,es
have been bred off instead of en-,
there now being but little between
his skin and the weather on a we'll
bred hog.
The few hogs previously referred to
that are too carefully coddied and
cared for are apt to be found among
breeding stock. The brood sow and
boar should above all others be re-
quired to take plenty of outdoor ex-
ercise, to insure hardness and vital
ity, so essential for transmission to
the progeny. To secure such fitness
of physical condition it IS not neces-
sary 70 expose them to storms and
compel them to root up acres OF
ground to secure their living, but it
is quite necessary that they spend
considerable portion of each day
"rustling' for part of their food in
stead of becoming fat and fiabby in
closely-confining, ill-smelling pens.
Like man, the hearty hog cares lit
tie for cold and stormy weather while
he is in motion, feeding and exercis-
ing, but his bed must be dry and pro-
tected from drafts and cold, or the
effects will be rheumatism, chills,
fever and general unthriftiness, if
not serious disease itself.
Many swine breeders and feeders
are aware that it is possible to grow
young, well-bred, healthy pigs to
live weight of two hundred and fifty
to three hundred pounds at an age of
six or seven months by intensive feed
ing, the best of care and close con-
finement; but if the growth-forcing is
continued much longer, there is a re-
action and liability to disease that
will interfere with the profit. Even
by this method of feeding for early
maturity the chances for success are
much surer when the sucking pigs
and breeding sows have been allowed
unlimited exercise, thereby laying in
a reserve stock of bone and nerve
force, to help carry them through the
strain of heavy feeding and close con-
finement later on.
During the cold winters and hot
summers of the northern and middle
sections of our country the hog re-
quires protection from both extremes
to obtain the best results. The prac-
tice of piling up to obtain warmth
where numbers run together is re-
sponsible for much injury and dis
euse by the overhcating resulting.
There is often quite as much loss oc-
casioned by lack of protection from
summer heat as from winter cold. The
hog in state of nature will camp
near q water course or bog hole dur
ing the heated season, where, when
occasion requires, he win cool and
cleanse himself, and at the same time
provide himself with fly screen of
mud. znf
The writer has found that hog
run containing SUCH natural or arti-
ficial wallows of pure water and up-
contaminated mud makes a very para
disc for hogs during hot summer
days, and increases the thrift, growth
and profits materially. Especially are
the breeding sows that are to far
row during the heated season bene-
fited by clean, fresh wallows. Many
valuable animals and their litters are
lost every year before and at farrow-
ing time that might easily be saved
if cool, clean wallows were within
their reach.
The Importance of feeding and
breeding of swine is not to be under
estimated, but their housing and COM
fort are of even greater Importance,
since the expense for the first goes
for naught unless their physical COM
fort is also provided for.-B. F. w.
Thompson, in Farm and Fireside.
THE SELECTION OF SEEDS,