Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-11-08
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In the corn belt hogs furnish one
of the most important means of mar
keting the corn crop. With the ex-
ception of chickens. they are the most
numerous of all farm animals, and
ste grown for market on more farms
than any other stock. Hog raising has
probably made more clear money for
the corn-belt farmers than any other
enterprise. In view Of this one might
expect to find hogs the best housed
OF any animals on the farm. but the
opposite is the case. II Is still hard
for many farmers TO get rid OF the
notion that anything is good enough
for hog.
There is no animal on the farm
which requires better protection from
cold than the hog; none for which
good bed Is more necessary: and none
so much in need of sunshine as the
little pig
The horse and the COW have good
coats OF hair. even a calf or a colt
when left in the cold is provided with
a good fur coat: the hens feathers are
the best protection against cold.
but the hog has almost nothing be
tween his skin and the weather.
One of the FIRST requisites for sue
cess with hogs is shelter where
young pigs can be kept warm and
well supplied with sunshine and fresh
air. | little pig takes cold very easily
and RECEIVERS slowly If at all. To pre-
vent taking cold he must be kept
dry. warm, away frorn draughts. and
provided with fresh air
On the average. the hog house is
the poorest building on the farm and
the least adapted to the purpose for
which Il was intended Good barns
may be seen on a large proportion OF
the farms. but good bo,; houses are
generally hard TO find. 1t is economy
to put up first the buildings that Will
help most to make money. A large
portion OF the farmers recognize this
and build a good barn before putting
up a good house. saying: THE barn
will help build the house. but the
house viii never help build the barn.
This principle seems TO be lost sight
OF when 1t comes to the hog house, yet
no other building on the farm pays
for itself so quickly. Unpublished
data collected by the writer shows
that good hog men average about
seven nig9 raised 10 the litter and
many surpass this record. The same
data indicates that the general aver
age raised on the farm does not ex.
coed four pigs TO the litter This wide
difference is very largely due to the
housing.
Many houses which cost enough to
be good are thoroughly unfit for the
purpose because the sun cannot shine
lato the pens. Nearly every large
hog house is. deficient In either sun.
shine or ventilation. or in both.
The writer has In mind narrowing
pen seen on one OF the most highly
improved farms in the middle west.
To replace the buildings on this farm
would cost manS thousands OF dollars.
The hog house is tho nearest building
to the house, and stands between It
and a large. fine. modern horse barn.
uOB nHtu 10 81 iItI NthE anu o.
feet long. There is not a window or
yentilator in IL. the only means of adj
hitting air and light being the alley
doors and a few small hog doors. A
more unsuitable structure could hardly
be devised.
The writer also has personal knowl-
edge of another hog house quite sim
liar 10 this but only about half as
large. the only openings being one
alley door. one hog door. and one
small window. In this house over 80
per cent of the early pigs were lost
in some seasons. mostly from thumps
The loss IN a single season would
have more than paid for a good build
ing.
little pig loves sunshine and needs
it almost as much as he needs food.
No piggery is fit for the purpose IN
less it admits direct sunshine onto
the floor OF every pen at the time the