The Prescott daily news., 1916-06-12
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WORK
No. 7. Summer Care of Swine.
By II. K. Sanders, Specialist for Pig
 Club Work

All swine, including brood sows and boars, should live out of doors in the fresh air during the summer months, and whenever possible they should be turned into a new lot, which will be most apt to be free from contamina- tion or disease, and thus the hogs will escape intestinal parasites and other ailments. Swine will do at least 15 per cent better on pasture than they will if fed in closed pens. EXer- else makes a strong pig, the lack of it a weak pig. With succulent pas ture feed and reasonable amount of grain and plenty of exercise pig will develop strong bone, muscle, wig orous digestive tract and a good con stitution. However contrary to com mon practice, it has been demonstrat- ed that pasture alone will not give the best results; pigs must have some grain. The mature pig can hardly subsist on grass and pasture alone, but good pastures of alfalfa, clover or TO will more than sustain life.
 The following information taken from Henrys Feeds and Feedings will be interesting to those growing swine on pasture and feeding grain. Prof. Henry found that pig weigh ing 100 pounds consumed eight-tenths of a pound of grain and one and six tenths pounds of skim milk per day, and made a gain of one and siX-tenths, and that 25 per cent of the feed given a pig weighing 100 pounds was used for maintenance, while the other 75 per cent went to produce daily gain With the 200-pound hog 36 per cent of the feed went for actual mainte- nance and 64 per cent of the feed went to produce daily gain. Do not forget that it is improbable to keep the pig in the pig pen and feed it corn and slops alone, because the farmer can actually buy bacon from the grocer man cheaper than it can be produced under such conditions Do not depend upon pasture and pas ture alone: pasture and reasonable amount of grain will produce best.
 Good shade should be provided. and running water supplied. Well water is preferable, but if the supply comes from a spring or a brook the farmer should be sure that it is safeguarded from contamination. The greater part of the weight of hog is water, con- sequently i. is very important to see that he is supplied with plenty of pcre, fresh water during the summer moAths.
 Provide artificial wallows, made of cement. that will hold five or six inches of water They are much bet ter than wallow holes. will not spread disease, afford much comfort, and are a paying proposition where many pigs are kept.
 Every hog raiser should practice keeping his pens, yards and houses clean at all times. Lice breed in dusty places. and al least twice a year there should be a general cleaning of the feeding places and of the buildings. lots and pens used for housing hogs.
 
 scraped up and put on the farm, where it belongs Then air-slacked lime should be scattered freely In all of these places. especially In the buildings where the hogs make their beds and at their feeding places. This acts as a disinfectant. Hogs are un- clean and filthy only when they are compelled to be so. They are driven to t by force of circumstances over which they hrve no control. and when lice get on them, all they can do is to scratch and be annoyed This makes 1t impossible for the hog to thrive well Flow can lice be prevent ed? The easiest way is to provide an oiler To do this, drive stake into the ground near the feeding place. wrap a gunny sack around it, tie it tightly, so that the sack cannot come off, and saturate with crude oil and keep it saturated; the hog will do the rest. Some people use coal oil mixed with grease, but If you want to laugh at and enjoy appreciative hogs. pro vide self-oiler for them. But do not neglect the simple devices if you can not provide an automatic oiler.
 See that plenty of salt. charcoal. wood ashes, lime, etc, are kept be- fore the hogs at all times. Hogs crave salt; charcoal acts as a regu- lator, and wood ashes and lime build bone.
 Plan to have plenty of summer le- gumes with which to fatten your hogs on this fall. One acre of Soy beans should graze ten pigs weighing 45 ,.o.,rS~ ooob for .o o~ t- 1