The Benson signal. [volume] (Benson, Cochise County, Ariz.) 1915-1921, 1918-10-12
HOUSING
DURING WINTER
Increase Pork Production by
Making Pigs Comfortable in
Cold Weather.
HOG RAISING IS PROFITABLE
Little Pig to Thrive Must Be Kept
Dry, Warm, Away From Drafts
and Provided With Fresh Air
Sunshine Also Needed.

The corn belt hogs furnish one OF
the most important means Of market
ing the corn crop. With the exception
Of chickens, they are the most numer-
Gus of all farm animals, and are grown
for market on more farms than any
other stock. Hog raising has probably
made more clear money for the corn
belt farmers than any other enterprise.
In view Of this one might expect to
find hogs the best housed Of any ami
mails on the farm, but the opposite is
the case. It is still hard for many
farmers to get rid Of the notion that
anything is good enough for hog.
Yet there is no animal on the farm
which requires better protection from
cold than the hog; none for which a
good bed is more necessary, and none
so much in need Of sunshine as the
little pig. The horse and the cow have
good coats Of hair-even calf or a
colt when left in the cold is provided
with good fur coat; the hens feath-
ers are the best Of protection against
cold; but the hog has almost nothing
between his skin and the weather.
One Of the first requisites for sue
cess with hogs Is shelter where
young pigs can be kept warm and well
supplied with sunshine and fresh air.
A little pig takes cold very easily and
RECEIVERS slowly If at all. To prevent
taking cold he must be kept dry, warm,
away from drafts, and provided with
fresh air.
Most good hog raisers who have
warm buildings try to have their sows
commence narrowing about March 1,
but without good houses this is i'm
practicable. Breeders find it necessary
to have their pigs come about this time
In order to have them large enough
for the fall demand, and producers Of
market hogs find the practice profit
able. Early pigs have several marked
advantages. Without good house two
filters a year cannot be raised to adj
vantage, because the spring pigs must
be put off until so late that the fall
filters do not get well started before
cold weather, but with a good house
two filters can we'll be raised. Most
farmers do not feel that they can keep
an old SOW for one litter, but with two
filters it becomes different PROPOSE
ton. It is universally conceded that
old sows raise better pigs than young
ones, and the keeping Of old sows en-
ables one to select and keep only the
best producers.
Types of Large Houses.
The variety Of hog houses is almost
US great as the variety Of individuals
using them. 1t is rare, indeed, to find
even a semblance Of uniformity pre-
vailing in q community. There are,
however, only two or three general
types which commend themselves to
the careful hog man. OF the two styles
Of large houses, the larger has two
rows of pens, an alley through the
middle, and a jog in the roof for win
dows to light the north pens, while
the smaller has but one row Of pens,
with an alley and row Of windows on
the south side. The double house is
much cheaper per pen, and for that
reason is to be preferred. Less work
is also required to care for the hogs
than where a single row of pens is
used.
Probably the cheapest house possible
is low building with single row of
pens and no alley, but such house is
much less convenient, especially in
stormy weather.
In the majority Of large hog houses
the upper windows are not so placed
that sunshine will strike the floor