The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1911-06-22
CARING FOR YOUNG PICS
BY F. 6. King, Experiment Station,
University Of Missouri.

With the proper care. there should
be no decrease in the growth and de-
yclopment of the pigs after weaving
time. The weaving is often time
when the pigs stop growing for
week or two. But if the right kind
Of feed is given TO them, and they
are eating well, there need he no de-
lay in development. There are two
distinct methods of weaving the pigs
practiced by our correspondents in the
state. One is to let the pigs run with
'he SOW until she weans hem, Or
until they wean themselves. This
method is not so generally practiced,
however, as the other. OF course,
mis- system makes strong pigs, but
10 stronger than if they are weaned
earlier and given the right kind of
feed And it is much harder on the
sows than if the pigs are removed
earlier.
The other method practictd. and
the one used by sixty-one out of the
s"venty-two farmers making reply on
this question, is to remove the SOW
after the pigs have learned TO eat
we'll. The age of weaving varies from
six to fourteen weeks with our cor
respondents, with an average Of nine
weeks. The weight at weaving time
varies from twenty to seventy pounds,
with an average weight of about forty
pounds per pig. When weaving time
arrives. it is the practice to take the
SOW from the lot rather than TO change
the quarters Of the pigs. This leaves
The pigs in familiar surroundings, and
prevents them from getting as rest
less as they otherwise would The
SOW is turned back into the lot for a
short time every half day for a day
CT two. SO her udder can be MIXED
out by the pigs to prevent lis spoil
ing. The length of time between milk
ings is gradually increased until the
sow is dry This is most cases re-
quireS but few days. Some farmers,
however. prefer to remove the pigs to
a different lot rather than change the
SOW. AT first only the stronger pigs
are removed, thus leaving the weaker
Cnes to do the milking and have the
benefits therefrom for a few days
longer The weaving should. under
all circumstances, be thorough
The feed during weaving and a
short time afterward should be the
same as before weaving. and consist
as largely as possible of soft feed. as
the removal of the milk supply is TAX
ing away very soft and Dalatable
food. The amount of feed will need
10 be increased somewhat. and most
CT our correspondents increase the
proportion of corn.
For feeding pigs of this age. moth
ing gives better results than skinned
milk. especially If fed with some kind
of grain A trial Of different grains
fed with SKINNED milk was made al
The Cornell Experiment station. The
results were very satisfactory. grains
IF about one pound per day being
made in all the tests. Corn lneai and
skim milk makes a good ration.
An experiment was conducted at the
Wisconsin station which showed very
strikinply the poor results which are
gotten from straight corr ration
with one suppleEt nted with
other feeds. The gains were increased
more than $50 per cent on q mixed
ration over those obtained on a
straight corn ration. If corn alone is
fed to young pigs. it should certainly
lie fed in connection with good pas
ture. so as to give succulence and pro-
tein.
Aside from the actua! food Nutrients
required. the necessity of an abun-
dance OF exercise and fresh air is
best supplied by good pasture Of
clover, alfalfa, or rape.
1t is practically impossible to Sc
cure as good results with rigs with !
out pasture as with it. Numerous
trials have been made with fattening
hogs. proving the high value of pas /
ure for that class of hogs. How
much more so must be the value OF .
pasture to animals that are young
and growing and need an abundance .