Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-06-04
THE SPRING LITTER
Careful Feeding and Manage
ment Spell Success.

WILL IlC SCllli al pOWClo uPcii SuC NCS
1aration of peace, the production of
hogs should be one of the most i'm
portant enterprises Of the farm in
1919, espec lilly in the South with its
natural advantages for growing for
age, which is one of the most impor-
tant factors for economic pork pro-
duction.
The first period in the feeding and
management of litter of pigs begins
when the sow becomes pregnant and
ends when she farrows. The second
period begins with the birth Of the
pigs and continues until the pigs
reach maturity or are marketed. By
this time most of the spring pigs have
been farrowed, and the problem now
is to push them rapidly and econom.
ically for the market. If the pregnant
sow's ration has supplied sufficient
protein for bone and muscle building
in the pigs and she has been kept
in good physical condition through ex.
ercise, the product should be strong,
healthy litter that will make rapid
and cheap gains.
For the first few weeks, when the
pigs will be nourished entirely by the
SOW, her ration should be sufficient to
furnish an abundant flow of milk.
However, if she is overfed. causing
heavy fow of milk the pigs are likely
to have scours. If this occurs, the
feed Of the sow should be reduced inn
mediately, and she should be fed 15
to 20 grains Of copperas in her slop
morning and night until securing
ceases. The ration for a SOW sucking
pigs is about 4 per cent of her live
weight. when not on pasture. But for
the best results the sow and pigs
should be on pasture. When on
non-leguminous pasture such as rape,
rye. and Bermuda grass. the sow
should have grain ration equivalent
to 3 per cent of her live weight. On
Alfalfa. red clover. and other legumes,
the grain ration need not be over
per cent of her live weight. The sow's
grain ration should be we'll balanced.
Several balanced rations are given
later in this article.
The young pigs will begin to eat at
8 to 4 weeks Of age. If the litter is
small and the SOW is on pasture and
has a liberal grain ration, the pigs
will need little additional feed. If the
litter is large and the mother light
milker, the pigs should be given
slop Of skim-milk and wheat shorts in
a creep not accessible to the mother
If milk is not available, the shorts
may be made into thin slop with
water. At or weeks Of age, corn
may be substituted for one-half the
shorts.
The age Of weaving depends upon
whether or not two litters are to be
raised per year. In no case should
pigs be weaned under 8 weeks Of age;
10 or 12 weeks is better. At weaving
time the feed of the SOW is reduced
to slack the milk flow and the rations
of the pigs should be increased so
that there will be little interruption in
the growth Of the pigs. The weaving
should be abruptly, and under no cir
cumstances should the sow be return
ed to the pigs The most critical
time in a pigs life is past when he
is weaned and is eating well. The
feeding from then on is matter OF
making the best ration from the avail
able feed.
For the cheapest gains pigs should
be on pasture at all times. Home pas
lures for summer grazing are alfalfa.
clover, cowpeas, soy beans, peanuts.
Bermuda grass, rape and velvet
beans. However, pastures should
not be relied upon to make pork alone.
The most rapid and cheapest gains
are produced by supplementing the
pastures with grain ration. The
amount Of grain to feed when hogs
are on pasture is approximately 8 per
cent of their live weight. The follow
ing grain mixtures are recommended:
Corn 10 parts, tankage l part; corn
and middling equal parts; corn s
parts. soybean meal part; or corn 2
parts, velvet bean meal 1 part. With
leguminous pasture, such as alfalfa,
clover, cowpeas. soy beans. peanuts,
ETC.. corn alone may compose the
grain ration.
There are other factors affecting the
physical condition Of the animal that
exert considerable influence upon the
rate and economy Of gains. There
should be clean drinking water and
q pool where they may wallow. The
hog has a very high body temperature
and requires considerable water and
shade to keep cool. Hogs cannot make
rapid gains unless free from lice. Lice
may be controlled by the use OF crude
petroleum rubbed on the hogs or by
dipping with any of the coal-tar dips.
Hogs should have access at all times
20 mineral roughage. which is a gen.
eral tonic and appetizer. The follow
ing mineral roughage is recon-
mended:
AH,