The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1914-03-06
Feeding Young Pigs.


Feeding Young Pigs.
Pigs begin to nibble at their
mothers feed when about four weeks
old, and should then be fed all they
will eat of feed that encourages
growth and develops the digestive sys-
tenn without impairing digestion. II
they are weaned when seven weeks
old this allows but three weeks in
which to accustom their nutritive or
gans to the change from natural to
artificial nourishment. The principle
involved in making this change of
feed is explained by Professor G. R.
Samson, swine specialist of the Ore
gon Agricultural college Animal Hus-
bandry department, as follows:
"The proportion of water. in the
little pigs body is greatest at birth.
This water is gradually replaced by
dry matter as the pig grows older and
any undue fastening of the tranposing
process interiors with the pigs entire
organism.
"The rate of substituting dry mat
ter for water may be retarded by d.
luting the solid part of the feed with
water which is incorporated into the
pig.
"The digestive tract of the small
pig is larger in proportion to his body
than that of the older pig. While the
more common mistake is underfeeding
at this time, it is also possible to over
feed. At this time the pig may eat
and digest mere food than he can take
care of in his body and in such cases
much Of the value of the feed is
wasted. Another i'll which may result
from overlooking is the impairment of
digestion efficiency so that the gains
in later life are secured at greater
cost than would otherwise be neces-
sary.
'sWhen the little pigs begin to nib
BILE at the feed they should be provid-
ed with trough inside creep where
they may have feed especially suited
to them. To start with there is moth
ing better than skim milk into which
about one tenth by weight of mid
dlings or oatmeal is stirred. If oats
are used the coarser hulls should be
sifted out. The proportion Of the
middlings or ground oats may be in
creased until at weaving time the pigs
are getting about one part Of solid
feed to two parts of skim milk.
"When the little pigs are first being
started on artificial feed, care must
be taken that no feed be left in their
trough to become sour, for scours al
most surely will result if they eat this
leftover feed Therefore give them
but little and remove what is left and
give it to their dams. Then thor
oughly clean their trough and if posi-
BILE scald it and set it up to dry. At
any rate make sure the trough is left
clean and is clean when feed is put
into it again. A good start makes
success possible; a bad one makes sue
cess very uncertain. The advantages
of the creep are that cleanliness is
more easily secured and a smaller
amount of higher priced feed is neces-
sary as the SOW does not require such
expensive feed.
eff it is considered too much trouble
to provide creep for the little ones,
they may be allowed to continue eat
ing with their dam, and her ration
may be made suitable to the pigs.
Milk production is stimulated by slop-
by feed and the SOW requires concen-
trated feed which is easily digestible.
For this method Of feeding Dietrich
suggests one-fourth to one-fifth pound
digestible protein and ! to / digestible
carbohydrates per one hundred pounds
live weight Of the SOW and litter. The
same amount Of nutrients is all right
per 100 pounds live weight Of the SOW
If she is fed separately from the pigs.
But it may contain more coarse feed
in the latter case.
In terms Of the feeds used on our
farms the ration may be made up as
follows: For q ESQ pound SOW with
seven pigs weighing seven pounds each
800 pound live weight in all this
ration requires six pounds middlings
and three pounds skim milk; or six
pounds barley and 8 pounds skim milk ;
or six pounds barley and four pounds
tankage: or six pounds middlings and
10 pound tankage."
Horse Sense Defined.