The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-09-11
AGE-HERALDS FARM PAGES ;Ss;T555' .55sss"
Care of the Boar

The boar pig, having been selected and purchased, has arrived at home Pos sibly he has had long journey by rail. and comes in box, where he has been several hours, or days The first thing to do is to give him drink of water. say pint of pure water: if the weather IS not too cold, wash him off carefully with soap and warm water, clean him up good and rub him dry with dry towel: then you should give him a pint or quart Of sweet milk, and put him in a nice, clean pen, with plenty of good bedding: give hlm little cornmeal or shorts mixed With water or swill so as to wet it thor oughly, cut yet keep it stiff; don't give him much, not more than a pint and give It to him often for a day or two until his fast is gradually broken and continue the milk twice or three times a day. It Will brace him up and whet his appetite.
 Have the pen strongly made and sides high enough so that he can not get out
 as he will likely try to do so, and a lit tie negligence in fence or pen may cause him to become breachy. Keep him quiet day or two; if he shows a disposition to be restless and tramping about he is lonesome and homesick Almost always pigs are taken from among a lot of his mates and shipped to a new place, and if kept away off by himself he will squeal and walk around. showing every evidence of loneSomeness and "a want to go home" manner that Is unmistakable If such should be his condition it is better to put young barrow in with him and feed well, especially give him plenty of milk
 it will start him to thriving and make him contented. As soon as he gets accus- toned to his quarters, let him out into a small lot where there is grass and where he has a chance to run about. Then give him all that he will eat up clean, of oats and corn ground together or shorts, and If possible, give him milk twice day. Milk is natures mixture for the young and growing animal, and it is better compound than man has been able to de- wise. If you have apples give him some of them occasionally and choice slops from the house. Curry and brush him often; this will operate in two ways: First it keeps his skin lively and healthy, promotes circulation of the blood and makes his hair nice and lively, and sec ondly 1t makes him gentle, contented and tame. A lot should be provided for him of not less than half an acre, and he sfould be allowed to root the ground; it affords him the best of exercise, because it brings into active play every muscle of his body and especially in his neck, back and legs. and at the same time affords him amusement and an occupation"
 Have the lot surrounded by 8 good, strong, high fence, so as to prevent his getting out. Should he once be able to break out, it will cause him to become breachy and troublesome. His sleeping apartment should be placed in the lot or open into it and made warm and com fortable. His feed should be of muscle rather than fat forming material, and there is no better food for the boar pig than milk, ground oats or soaked oats, and shorts with small amount of oil meal After he has arrived at maturity, oats and shorts in moderate quantities are the best food; continue to curry and brush him; it will keep him gentle ana kind. When his tusks become large enough to project from his mouth or Tn any way become dangerous. remove them by breaking or snapping them off with pair of blacksmith's pinchers. To do this easily. catch him in a hog trap and hold him firmly, remove his tucks. and let him out Some breeders pull the tusks out some knock them off with a hammer and still others file them off, but the easiest and quickest waly is to take the large pinchers spoken of and set them tightly on the tusk, give the pinchers tight squeeze and a slight turn to one side and the tusk breaks off easily. H-
 In breeding never take him out of his lot. but bring the SOW to him. It is better to have small incosure inside of bis lot, which should be fastened up. and covered over, with an opening out wards When a SOW is to be bred, shut him out of the small inclosure and drive the SOW in, then let the boar in with her: after service drive the boar out and let the SOW remain until she can be taken to some quiet place.