American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-10-14
CARE OF SMALL PIGS
Attention to Details Necessary to De-
yelep Large, Healthy Litter
Feeding Ration.

Feeding Ration.
The SOW. In order to produce a large.
healthy litter, should be In the best
possible breeding condition. After she
has been bred. careful feeding n
management are necessary to develop
successfully the litter she is to pro-
duce. 1t is well to keep a record OF the
date on which the SOW was bred, in
order to know approximately when he
youngsters are about to arrive. The
CESSATION period Of pigs is 112 to 1lo
days. 1t 10 good policy to be at hand
in case the SOW needs help, but sne
need not be helped II she is gettins
along we'll.
What 10 DO When the Pigs Arrive.
When the pigs are born during warm
weather they are less liable to be-
come chilled and will generally find
their way TO the teats unaided. In
extremely cold weather the pigs will
be In danger Of being chilled unless
the hog house Is heated. To remed,
this. place a few heated bricks In tn.
bottom Of a basket or small box, COW
er them with chaff or straw, and pu,
a cloth over the top to keep In the
heat; unless the SOW objects too seri-
ously the pigs may be rubbed dry with
a soft cloth and placed In the recep-
tacle as fast as they arrive. II any
Of the little pigs appear to be ~lifeless
when they are born. first see that all
nucu is removed from the nose, then
give the pig a few gentle slaps on tho
side with the hand. This Will start
the pig breathing II there IL any life
in the body. Give II a suck OF inc
sow's milk and place 1t In the recep-
tacle described. The pigs will not SUI
fer II they do not suck for a few
minutes after narrowing.
Cut Out the Black Teeth.
Before placing the pigs with the aow
cut out the eight small tusk like teeth.
There are four OF these on eaoh ia "
In the Q OF the mouth. These teet,
are very sharp. and II left IN the pIg's
mouth they will likely cause teario,
of the sow's udder, and the little Digs
cut one another's mouths while fight
ing for a teat. These teeth a be re.
moved with bone forceps. wire nippers
or a knife. Never pull out the teeth
Always cut or break them off. Ate,
this operation place the pigs with the
SOW. care being taken that each one
gets TO a tcat.
When the afterbirth IL passed 4
should be removed from the pen a
once and buried or burned. There II
good reason to believe that eating tn,
afterbirth Is often the beginning o
the habit Of eating pigs.
The SOw's Feed.
Great care must be taken to feed tn
SOW properly. II she is not being prop
erly fed tho little pigs will show Il
II the pigs follow the SOW around YER,
much and pull at her teats. II Is n goo
sign that she Is not biving enough mill
and more feed should be given to stim
ulate milk flow. When n SOW is over
fed. causing a heavy milk flow. scour
ing Is generally produced In the pigs
II this happens. cut down the sow
feed Immediately. Give the SOW 16 t,
20 grains OF sulphate OF iron (cop
peras) In her slop morning and even
ing. and II necessary Increase the dos,
until results have been obtained.
Exercise N Essential.
II Is very necessary that the littl,
pigs have plenty OF exercise and all the
sunlight that can be given them. II
they do not get exercise, they viii
get fat and lazy and the usual result
II the "thumps," THIS IL caused by
the fat getting 30 thick around the
heart and lungs that the pigs find II
difficult to breathe. They Will be
noticed heaving at the flank and gasp
ing for breath. The best way 10 pre-
vent this liz to avoid overlooking ano
make the young pigs take plenty ct
exercise.
WEAVING.
When the pigs are about five weeks
old. they will begin TO taste some OF
their mothers feed. DO not be In a
hurry to wea them, Eight weeks Is
young enough to wean them. II there Is
skim milk for them. OF course the
size and development has a great deal
TO do with their weaving age. II
skim milk is not obtainable, It is bet
ter TO let the pigs nurse the SOW unit,
ten weeks old.
The WEAVING Ration.
Skim milk and corn, or skim milk
and shorts. fed In the proportion OF
. to |, make an excellent ration for
weanlings. If skim milk Is not avail
able, a mixture OF 5 parts corn meal
4 parts middlings, and l part tankage,
fed as a thin slop, is very good, Good
suooulen, pasture Is always beneficial
II vii. aid wonderfully In putting
growth on the young pigs, and the
grain expenses will be lessened, After
a litter OF pigs has been weaned anc
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