The Brinkley argus., 1916-04-14
GROWING ANIMALS ON THE
 FARM
No. 5.--Hog Raising.

No. 5.-Hog Raising.
 By H. A Sandhouse, Assistant Pro
 lessor Animal Husbandry, Uni
 versity of Arkansas.
 The warm climate, long season, open winters, and the great abundance of grass and mast in Arkansas make con ditions almost ideal for hog raising. At present statistics show that this state fs not raising enough pork for it's own use. It is encouraging to note, however, that the number of hoaa has increased in the past year and the increased demand for pure bred hogs would indicate that there are not only more hogs grown, but better hogs. To start in the hog bus iness requires but small capital and some experience In feeding and car ing for live stock.
 The time at which sows are bred to farrow will depend somewhat on the development of the animal and the feeds available and building equip ment for young pigs. The early far rowing requires more attention and warmer house than when pigs are farrowed in the spring or early sum- mer. Early farrowing has it's advan- tages as well as it's disadvantages in that 1t enables the farmer to market his hogs earlier in the fall, before the bulk of the hogs are marketed, and the breeder of pure bred hogs will have animals old enough and devel- oped enough for breeding in the fall. The house for the SOW need not nee essarily be an expensive one, and at the same time be of the individual or central type. Either type should be dry, well ventilated and lighted by means of a large number of windows on the south side. The hog houses should be sprayed and cleaned up at least once a year with two to four per cent solution of some well known disinfectant. Whitewashing a house with a mixture of one pint of crude carbolic acid for every three gallons of whitewash will not only disinfect
 
 1t look heater and cleaner. A few days before farrowing the SOW should be placed in her individual pen, so she can become accustomed to her new surroundings and not be nervous and restless. During this period, just before and after farrowing, the feed should consist largely of shorts and bran, mixed with small amount of grain and fed in thin slop. Feed ing sows too heavy before farrowing may be the cause of caked udder and milk fever. After farrowing the feed should be gradually increased until the pigs are able to take all their mothers milk. Too much milk at first is liable to cause SCOUTS and thumps.
 When two or three weeks old the little pigs should be fed shelled or soaked corn in creep, so that they will be accustomed to eating grain be- fore weaning and not receive any set back at that time. Corn alone is poor feed for hogs of any age, espe- cially with very young pigs, as they require more bone and muscle form ing materal. which Is found in such feeds as shorts, oats, oil meal and the leguAes. Young pigs on pasture may be fed corn with about five to ten per cent of tankage, or if skim milk or buttermilk are available they may be fed with the grain. using two to three pounds of skim milk for every pound of grain.
 A good permanent pasture will re- duce the cost of grains. provided it is not pastured too closely and a small amount of grain is fed In connection with 1t. Several small patches of for age crops planted at different dates. 90 they win mature at different pe- viods, will furnish good pasture from early in the spring until late in the fall. Dwarf Essex rape, if sown early. will be ready to pasture in about six weeks, provided there is sufficient moisture present to germinate the seed Amber sorghum, planted three to five weeks after sowing the rape, will be large enough to make pasture during the extremely hot and dry part of the summer. Generally, the hogs can be turned in on the sorghum when 1t Is about two feet high. Cow peas planted with corn will make good fall pasture, or peanuts planted in corn at the time of the second cul- tivation will furnish fine feed By hogging down the corn and peas, and peanuts. the hogs will have a free choice system of self-feeding. and will do better than when allowed to hog down corn. without any protein feed. as peanuts and peas without corn produce "soft" pork.