The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-03-03
Prepare For the Spring Lii
ter Now.

The man who has stated that the
most critical periods in a pigs life
were narrowing and weaving should
have added one more, the CESSATION
period. Every year our swine raisers
experience great losses at narrowing
time and the succeeding weeks of the
little pigs development. Many pigs
come dead or too weak to gain start
in life. A large percentage of those
surviving the first hours become cheat
ed of their equal share by the few
stronger ones. A great deal of COM
plant is heard from apparently good
farmers of their sows laying on their
pigs or actually devouring them.
Far too many ascribe these losses
to the natural course or events, mere.
ly bemoaning their 'mck" and COM
forting themselves with the thought
that they are only little fellows, and
a few must die anyway. Besides, the
loss of little pig does not seem
great.
AS a matter of fact, the loss of one
or two pigs out of each litter means
to the swine growing regions Of the
country net loss of millions yearly.
and to each individual breeder the
cream of his ultimate profits. A brood
sow Is fed twelve months to produce
one or two filters. This means an
expense which is but very little diff.
ferent whether she raises twelve pigs
or only six. In the end, however, the
man having twelve pigs to market in
creases his net profit so per cent on
the same investment, allowing so per
cent for increased amount of feed
consumed.
Viewed In this light, the feeder sees
different value in that youngster who
is too weak to pull through.
If he can see in every pig lost at
narrowing a net loss of from eight to
ten dollars, he will soon acquaint him
self with means of preventing that
loss. Not all such losses can be pre-
vented, but we are safe in saying that
95 per cent of them can, and mainly
by showing the sow a little more con-
sideration before narrowing.
If one will stop to consider that
those little pigs can be just as eff
fectually fed and cared for before birth
as afterward; that we can, by our
care of the SOW produce a litter of
sturdy, evenly mated little fellows,
every one ready to fight for the best
teat, to scamper away from dangerous
corners when it's mother lies down
and possessing frames to make $50.
pound hogs at six and a half months,
or, on the other hand, litter weak
and uneven, some dead and others too
weak to get out of the way, and all
In danger from the craving appetite If
the mother, he must agree that the
period Of CESSATION is an important one.
and that all the good feeds are not to
be left for that period following the
first eight weeks.
1t is far too common a practice In
our feeders to allow their brood sows
the run OF the steer and barn yards to
the very day Of narrowing, procuring
their drink from the dirty holes and
their living from the droppings, with
an occasional basket of corn added,
but no more. Such treatment pro-
duces an uneven litter, the stronger
pigs chubby and weak boned, the SOW
constipated and feverish.
The barnyard with certain restric-
tons is an ideal place for the brood
SOW; she exercises we'll and procures
a great deal that is good for her, but
left here too long a light kick from a
critter may ruin both the SOW and lit
ter. She gets either 20 little of any
thing or too much corn.
Corn is an excellent feed for her,
but she should have a little ground
wheat. barley, rye, middlings, ETC.,
along with plenty of good, clean water.
II with this feed she tends to become
constipated. which Is doubtful, give
her good ration of linseed meal.
| Throw your wood ashes from the
stoves where she can get at them; she
should have salt in some form, either
mixed with the feel or in ashes. Take
her away from the cattle in good sea-
son, giving her an opportunity to be-
come acquainted with new quarters
before the little ones arrive.
The man who is thus showing his
brood SOW proper care during gesta-
ton period is assuring himself a
strong, healthy, well-balanced litter,
ready to grow and. in turn, lay on
| flesh. JOHN BOWDITCH. JR.