The Florida agriculturist., 1906-01-03

at it.
In feeding the boar the general
idea is to keep him in fair flesh and
good health Old bOars are even
kept in thin flesh. Exercise is given
careful attention. both for the favor
able influence which it eXertS on the
general health and on the condition
of the feet and legs. During the sum-
mer the boar is on pasture, and dur
ing the winter he has an open yard
for exercise. The best breeders are
very strongly opposed to the use of
any highly fattening feed. Corn is
seldom used, and when fed is nearly
always fed with bran. oats, skim milk
and roots, and abundant exercise is
given. When fed in this manner es-
pecially i'm cold weather, it is not
deemed to he injurious to the animal.
The young pigs are inspected at
an early age, and those which promise
| to make useful breeding animals are
separated from the rest and fed ac-
cOrdingly. The ratiOns used are those
that will develop bone and muscle
| and skim milk or buttermilk is used
by every breeder who can secure it,
especially during the first four months
of the pigs life. Linseed cake. to
| lDe tAttllt VI dbOut 1O DcI CtHI VI tlt
atiOn is fed by many breeders. Feed
is generally soaked for several hours
before feeding. Young pigs are usual
Iy fed three or four times a day.
Many things are demanded in
good side of bacon. The thickness
of fat on the back must not be too
deep and must be uniform in all parts;
the fat must not he oily or yellow I'm
| INrrf Icf hn aIn brio hf
white: the flesh must be firm. and the
pigs should be uniform in size to in
sure uniformity of curing. These re-
suits are only obtained when uniform
ity. care and good judgment are used
in cOmpOunding rations and feeding
them. Considerable latitude is per-
missible in the selection of feed. but
the use of an undesirable One even
when combined with others which in
themselves are very desirable. may
deprecate the quality of what would
otherwise become a very good carcass.
The writer is inclined to believe
that pounds of gain i'm the bacon
pig cannot be produced as economic
ally as in the case of the fat or lard
hog. This is due to the fact that a
much more limited range of feed can
he used with safety in feeding the
bacon pig, and some of the best feeds
for the production of heavy grains
such as corn. must he fed with great
care. Practically all the best bacon
producers lay great deal of stress
on the use of dairy by-products
From the standpoint of quality of
the bacon produced no rations have
proved more satisfactory than barley
meal and skim milk: shorts and skim
milk equal Darts barley meal and
shorts with skim milk. or equal parts
ground peas. ground barley and shorts
with skim milk All of these ratiOns
have produced good. firm bacon, white
in color and free from oil or fiabbinesS
Some feeders use equal parts of
ground barley and cOrnmeal. with
skim milk or whey This ration is
said to produce heavier and more
economical grains. but the quality of
\ the product is inferior
On some farms bacon pigs are
grown as stores for four or five
months, during which time they are
on grass or forage crops and are fed
grain rather lightly. They are then
confined TO the pens for about three
months and are fed literally A great
many successful farmers have their
pigs ready for market at about six
: nDnr Il l..