The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-01-20

Ventilation is not serious pAo0AO'
in q building with no loft above ~
and with the windows as near the
top as they are in many Of the hog
houses Of the cornbelt. These VIII
dows can be opened at the top ana
with the doors at the bottom, much
circulation Of air can be obtained Inc
form of the house that has peeh
greatly adopted by the farmers or the
cornbelt was worked out by DietTich
of the Illinois station. This house mas
the advantage OF having no WINDOWS
on the north side. 1t has It's great
est length from east TO west and mas
two rows OF windows on the south
side which furnish access to the sun
light so important in warmth and sam
itntion. The lower windows are Tor
the sunlight in the pens on the soutn
side. and are located near to the moor
so that these pens may be warmed
and disinfected by the power or sun
light The peculiar shape of the wall
containing the upper windows Is the
odd and important feature of the
house. These are PLACID n over the
south side Of the alley and at such a
height that the suns rays fall in the
pens on the north side of the alley.
in this latitude these upper windows
would necessarily have to be low, seven
or seven and one-balf feet from the
floor. This allows the sunlight In tho
early spring 20 spread over the floor
OF the pen in which the sow and her
litter can, baslS- The light problem ~
one of the greatest features Of hog
houses and should never be given any
thing but greatest consideration IN
your planning.
Now the floors OF the house should
be OF concrete which is most easily
cleaned. Other forms OF hard smooth
floors as bricks laid in cement are
good as long as they may be kept
clean and wei! washed off
But never expect your hogs to sleep
on the bare concrete. 1t Is better to
have Q. corner OF tho pen floor COW
cred with some board panels and on
this put your bedding. The absence
Of these overlays may cause the hogs
to contract rheumatism. These
overlays save too, In amount Of bed
ding necessary and in general keep
the hogs in better health
In summer when the floor is wanted
to be used as a feeding floor they
may be take nout and stored away for
the next seasons use. 1t is well to
have good floor space on which dry
feed can be fed, which requires the
hog to be walking on his feet for
some time during the day, forcing
him to get exercise. In winter hous-
ing, we must bear in mind location as
to exercise lots Or pasture which ia
necessary for best of health.
The Cot System.
With the cot system Of housing, we
have no trouble in giving exercise to
the hog during mild days of winter.
but during severe weather, when snow
and cold is present, this exercise is
often taken unwillingly by the hog and
with no great benefit to his health.
With the cot for quarters in winter. we
find difficulty in keeping the feeding
troughs cleared of snow and here at
the station we find the cots give more
trouble to keep them dry and we'll
bedded
The cot has the advantage of giving
exercise in mild weather. for the lot In
which these cots are located should be
from one-third of an acre to an acre
In extent. In summer when these cots
are used to best advantage, the form
of cot found most satisfactory is not
of the A-shape with a door on one end
and window on the other, but that
OF small house with the roof slop-
ing one way. This house should be
made with hinged panels which can
be opened in order to allow plenty of
air to pass through them after the
hot sun has played on the house dur
ing the day These cots make more
shade about them for the hogs to
lounge in and also are cooler at night,
than the smaller A-shaped ones, But
the greater advantage of the cot for
summer use is, the lot which affords
chance for exercise. Exercise though
not popularity considered as necessary
for the large fat hog, but nevertheless,
no hog ever developed into as large
and as solid meated porker as those
that had some range. Besides these
plots can be planted to clover, alfalfa,
or rape and furnish the best and
cheapest succulent feeds.
It matters not whether the central
house Is the form the feeder or breed
er should have on his farm The cots
win beefound a handy thing for sick
individuals and quarantine quarter
for new stock hogs introduced into the
herd. Here they may be kept isolated
for month or SIX weeks and ward off
all danger of spreading diseases among
all the hogs of the herd.
For summer shelter any shade will
suffice, but such shade is necessary
to get best results in feeders and
breeding individuals. For a temporary
winter quarters in which good results
may be obtained from feeder pigs. a
straw shed made by piling straw
deeply over a wooden framework Is
very successful. The ground for a
floor we'll bedded Is very satisfactory.
1t is not wise to furnish sows in nir
such quarters, for they will pile IN in
cold weather and cause abortion,
which means death to the hog bllsi-
ness. Such houses should be cleared
OF the timber used. il 1t be of further
usefulness. and II not should be
burned in order to rid the farm of a
good place for the incubation OF para
sites and disease germs.
Looking once more to the conditions
in which the wild ancestor of our pres
ent hog lived, we see the mud wallows
which all agree are good to rid them
OF parasites and give the coat and
skin a glossy, clean appearance. and
to give the hog the luxury Of bath
when he desires No other kind 81
waliow serves better. The concrete
wallow with some Of the coal tar prem
arations answer the purpose very we'll
but they must be kept clean and fresh
or be detrimental to the health of tha
hog.
So IL we bear in mind the fact that