The Ward County independent., 1910-11-10
Care of the Brood
Sow in Winter.
BY .. A. Gaumnitz. Minnesota
University Farm.
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AZ the most important factor IN
the business of pork production, the
brood sow deserves, at ali seasons OF
the year, the greatest solicitude Of the
pork-raiser for her bodily comfort and
healthy living Particularly in winter
should he see to it that she is well
cared for in all the matters Of feed,
shelter, bedding and cleanliness For
Of all domestic animals the hog is the
most poorly protected against the con
tingencies Of winter elm ate like
that of Minnesota The custom being
that most of the pigs shall be farrowed
In the spring. the health and vigor and
fattening capacities of the litter may
be largely affected by the condition IN
which the SOW is maintained during
the preceding four months Of gesta.
ton.
How much the young porkers. with
which the SOW is preparing to present
Us, are to cost at birth. depends al.
most entirely upon the way she is fed
and handled sow that produces s
and raises eight to ten pigs is worth
great deal more than one which
gives US only three or four II brood
SOW costs $40 year for feed and keep
and she produces but four pigs. each
pig will cost $3.50 On the other
hand. If she produces eight pigs. they
will have cost but s1.25 each at birth
Where one is growing 100 pigs, the
difference between the litters Of two
groups Of sows. respectively averag
ing as above. would amount to S125 a.
the start
Sows are not kept for the purpose OF
eating feed, merely Thei. business is
to farrow pigs and to nurse them to q
point where they can be fed for mar
ket With this in view. the SOW
should be so fed and managed as to
enable her to do her work to the best
condition. but without fattening. and
should not be permitted to lie around
without exercising properly every day
II she is properly handled. and fails to
fulfill her duties, the SOW has 90 bust
ness on the farm. and the quicker she
y found out and disposed Of the bet
t0f.
In feeding SOW, economy In the "a
ton. q supply Of the proper nutrients.
and each in the proper amount. should
Do kept constantly 70 mind Ad
vantage should be taken OF such ire
ha
had at small price from creameries,
o. that ground rye 10 cheaper than
shorts or that corn and oil cake !s
cheaper than shorts. or that clover hay
. cheaper than grain. The cost o'
The ration should always be dealt With
most carefully
Quantity ana Quality o. Feed.
Usually, as many Of the farm grains
as possible should be fed Frequent
W. however. it Is much cheaper to use
others rather !han exclusively farm
produced leeds The amount 70 iced
depends upon the SOW. For her keep
about s-lbs daily per hundred weight
,s required: or for a 4O0.lb sow. about
80 lbs daily. II the SOW s In good
condition, and carrying litter would
weigh SOC lbs, II means that the SOW
10 TO gain 90 lbs n weight This
gain should be made gradually, and
distributed through the time between
now and when she IL going to farrow
Suppose II were November lst. anc
that she were to tarrow April lst-
$50 days intervening time The SOW
would need tc gain Sc lbs. o, rough
". = lbs daily II takes about IS lbs
Of feed to make q pound Of gain. anu
about 315 lbs to make 7 lbs of gain
By adding this amount to that re.
quired for maintenance. the tota!
amount to be fed, or 636 lbs, will be
found Fat sows. Of course should be
fed separately from thin sows What
ever their condition. success will fol
low only by careful! feeding Since
over feeding makes brood sows unde
sirably fat and since their voracious
appetite inclines them 70 unmusicai
squealing when they are not full 1t
has been an approved plan to provide
them when they are not caring for 4
litter with feed only moderately nu
tritious, but as bulky as possi ble-
such. for instance, as contains consid
srable water This class includes
roots, clover or alfalfa hay and milk,
BY the use Of these and other bulky