Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1914-03-28
THE PROPER CARE OF BROOD
SOWS.
The Crop of Pork Will Depend En-
tirely on Their Management.

cause OF its attractive price on the
market We feel sure a portion of
these people have not had much ex-
pereience in the management of brood
sows at narrowing time. The crop
of pork will depend entirely on the
proper management and care of the
brood sow and her litter for few
days or weeks, just before and imme-
diately after after narrowing time
The brood sow must have consid-
cradle exercise and proper ration, to
produce litter of healthy, vigorous
pigs. She should not be kept in
small pen or stall, but in yard or
shed where exercise can be had every
day.
1t is not wise nor profitable to al
low the brood sows to run in the
yards with horses, just before far
rowing, because the horses, while
chasing about the fields, may injure
them. Neither should they be allow
ed to run with cattle, while on a full
feed of corn, because they will become
too fat which is quite sure to result
in injury to the mother at narrowing
time and a possible loss of her entire
litter.
Sows, when very fat, are liable to
have trouble at narrowing which re-
suits, usually, in a high fever that
may cause death, or a restlessness
that will result in death to her pigs
Avoid keeping the brood sows fat
They become better mothers when in
medium, or low flesh. In fact, best
results are obtained where the brood
sows are used as scavengers about
the feeding yards and must keep busy
all day to secure sufficient feed to
nourish them and their prospective
litter
Feed the brood sow whole oats
(scattered over the ground or feeding
brown wheat, shorts, oil meal and
other body building, rather than fat
producing feeds.
A few days before narrowing time
she should be separated from the herd
and placed in warm, comfortable
pen, where she will feel at home be-
fore the arrival of her litter The pen
should be provided with sticks of tim
Der on the sides; so placed that the
SOW will not crush her pigs against
the walls or partitions. The SOW that
has been kept in thin flesh, makes
better mother than one that is fat. be-
cause. being more active. will get up
more quickly when any one of her lit
ter squeals or utters cry of distress.
which is not usually the case with the
fat sow.
Keep the pen supplied with dry,
clean. bedding. made from cut straw
or chaff Long straw is not safe bed
ding. because the little pigs often be
come so tangled up in it that they can
not escape injury when the sow
changes positions. Change the bed
ding often to keep it dry and clean,
as damp, filthy litter in the pens will
cause sickness and death for the pigs.
Do not use barley straw for bedding,
or any other that contains boards,
which will soon cause sore mouths,
nostrils and eyes. which will result in
death or stunted pigs. Filth breeds
disease with pigs and hogs.
Feed sparingly before the sows far
row. on sloppy feeds, which will keep
their. digestive organs in a healthy,
In I,ct, tha
SOW while narrowing unless she, or
the p gs, must have help to save life.
Keep her as quiet as possible for two
or three days after farrowing. and on
very light rations of slops that contain |
scarcely nothing but warm water.
Do not disturb the sow the day OF
narrowing to give her anything to eat,
because it is not required There is
always more danger from overlooking |
the brood SOW the first week or ten |
days after narrowing than there is of
not giving them enough to eat. She |
needs plenty to drink but very light |
ration of feed. If overfed. fever is
quite sure to result. which may ruin
milk production and possibly cause
death of both, the mother and her
litteS
As the pigs increase in size with
the age the rations for the sow may
be quite rapidly increased to main
tain a supply of milk sufficient to
meet the requirements of the litter
A good sow, on full feed of the proper
kind, will often give as much milk
per day as the average cow-and the
pigs need it. The pigs and the mother
should get out of the pen into the
yard where they can get exercise and