The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-08-03
BROOD SOW IN ENGLAND
Was Sub set Of Investigation by Pro.
fsssor Kennedy, Of Iowa Asri-
cultural College.


In England the feeding and manage
lnent OF the brood SOW are given q
great deal OF attention, according To
Professor Kennedy. who made n study
OF English stock raising. In order To
give the SOW good development she In
not bred at a very early age. They are
usually ~ months old when they are
bred. making them Is months old when
the first litter In narrowed.
breeders give much attention to the
matter OF exercise and the use OF sue
culent food. as these exert a very
favorable influence on the health OF the
SOW. In the summer months both
green food and exercise are obtained
from the use Of the grass lot or soil
Ing crop. They use both clover and
lucern and on many farms vetches and
oats are also utilized TO good advan-
tage. In winter months exercise pens
are provided and the Euccuient food In
furnished by feeding mangolds. bects
or turnips.
The feeding stuns In most general
use during narrowing time are bran.
shorts. middlings. cooked potatoes,
skim milk and buttermilk.
Writing in the Iowa Register along
this line Professor Kennedy says:
In the estimation OF the English
breeder the brood SOW. during the ges-
tation period. requires and must have
certain feeding stuffs for best results.
and TO withhold these on account OF
slight difference In price In short
sighted economy, II not very disastrous.
ON those farms where skim milk was
available the brood sows were fed
bran. oats and skim milk, or bran.
shorts and skim milk. or bran, barley
meal and skim milk. I'm addition the
sows were grazed on grass or soiling
crops during the summer months and
were fed on raw mnngolds. turnips.
beets or steamed potatoes during the
winter season. Where skim milk was
not available the rations were COM
posed OF cooked bran. shorts and mid
dlings, or soaked bran. shorts and bar
ley meal. with the same kinds OF sue
culent food as previously mentioned.
This method OF feeding was continued
up TO within a week or So OF farrow-
Ing time. At this time the amount
OF roots fed was decreased. This was
done for the purpose OF keeping the
digestive organs In n loose condition.
ON many good farms from four to eight
ounces OF EPSON salts. In accordance
with the size or the SOW. was fed In
the food To each SOW about two days
before narrowing. This was given for
the purpose OF cooling the system and
preventing an early flow OF milk. which
so often IL the cause OF AN infiamed
udder and as n consequence vicious
mother at narrowing time. That care
full attention to all OF the little details
pays was amply demonstrated on
large pig feeding farm In Cheshire.
where $50 sows reared on an average
nine living pigs per SOW. ON some
farms even higher averages were OBJ
tanned. but the number OF brood SONS
was much less.
During the nursing period. which
varies I'm length from Ave To seven
weeks, the sows are very literally fed.
The feeding stuffs used are OF the kind
that are conducive to n liberal supply
OF milk. For this purpose rniions OF
equal parts bran. shorts and barley
meal. scalded and fed In conjunction
with skim milk. OF two parts bran two
parts mlddlings. one part barley meal
and one part corn meal, soaked or
steamed and fed I'm conjunction with
skim milk. or equal parts OF bran.
shorts and cooked potatoes. fed with
ar without skim milk. were In general
use and gave highly satisfactory re-
suits. Ground oats Ina conjunction with
the other feeding stuffs was also used
by some. but the price OF oats usually
prohibits the use OF the same. The
brood sows were always fed three
times per day and In some Instances
four times per day. Whenever skim
milk or buttcTmilk could be had they
were used I'm the feeding OF the sows
during the nursing period. The young
pigs are encouraged tn eat at an early
age. as at the end OF three weeks some
milk and finely ground oat meal or
shorts are supplied In low troughs
where the little ones may partake OF
the same. In this manner they are
taught To eat early. and thus can he
weaned at an earlier age. a point which
II OF much importance To- the man who
rears two filters per year"