Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-09
Care of Fall Piss.I


According to an authority a. Sieae
many farmers seem to be of the opln-
ion that the best way to care for such
pigs is not to have any. They are OPP
posed to fall-born filters on generai
principles and it is a fact that gooo
deal of labor and care are required TO
successfully carry fall pigs thru a
long. severe winter. Yet 1t can De dohe
and with profit. 1t depends good deal
on the time the fall pigs arrive. IL IS
evident that if they are born IN Angus.
or September they will get some warm
weather in which to make a start ana
this is most important. IL is dlHerens
with the pigs that come wnen warm
weather is gone ana coIu uays pievsLli
These are the pigs that cause the most
trouble and we are of the opinion that
the earlier born pigs can be carried
thru the winter In good shape at d
profit and without much trouble If the
owner is a man who likes to tend
young animals and can provide proper
shelter.
To get a good start is one OF the
main objects, for without it the filters
will remain weak and sickly and more
readily succumb to inclement weather.
When the pigs arrive the SOW should
not be fed lots of new corn as is COM
monty done, but for the first week
should be lightly fed upon bran and
middlings in form of slop, and after
that time may have an increase Of food
Of this character but should have very
While the pigs should be born in a
comfortable pen and stay there until
they are able to get about well, the
more open exercise they get after that
the better, SO long as the weather is
not wet. When cold weather comes on
shelter must again be provided and 1t
is important that the pigs should not
become chilled in going from their bed
to their meals This Is common cause
of loss, so that an even temperature
should be maintained and at the same
time good ventilation be provided.
Sunlight is the best possible warmer
and invigorator for young pigs during
the winter months, but warmth is not
on any account to be obtained by al
lowing the little pigs to sleep with
adult hogs. Some claim that the adult
hogs sap the strength of the young
children sleep with adults, but there
is little to prove the truth of the as
sertion. The real cause of lack of
thrift among young pigs so treated is
that they get too little fresh air, be-
come too warm and so chill and be-
come sick or puny when exposed to the
cold air in getting their meals with
the old hogs, The latter also are apt
to take a hogs share of the viands so
that the youngsters suffer.
1t is best to keep the fall litters by
themselves after weaving time and to
see that sunlight enters their sleeping
quarters as much as possible. Also
that they have plenty Of heterogeneous
food rather than an abundance Of corn,
which is unsuitable at first and the
common cause of Indigestion and all
of the kindred ills brought upon young
pigs by the owner who does not under
stand proper methods of feeding and
management. After the pigs are three
months old they may have corn which
by this time will have matured and lost
much of it's indigestibility. By four
months Of age the pigs should weigh at
least 100 pounds and be in thrifty
growing condition rather than f..
AS to exercise in winter there is
much difference Of opinion, but the
more they get the better in our opinion
so long as they are kept from wet and
storms. After the pigs get good start
and are doing well they will be able
to run out of doors on fine days and
they must not be allowed to remain out
or doors in wet weather. 1t is wet
more than anything, perhaps, that
gives rise to trouble in pigs. They
cannot stand it and this also applies
to damp sleeping quarters.
Fall pig raising is all right If the
man in charge knows his business.