Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-10
SEVERE WEATHER CAUSES
MUCH Loss FROM THUMBS
AND WHITE scoURs.
MANAGEMENT OF soWs AND
LITrERs MUST be PERFECT
We'll Planned Houses Often Ruined
Because Of Poor Loeatlons--Wsll
Drained Dry Lots Necessary to In
cure Lie OF Small Pios-Tlmely
Pointers on Carr Of Spring litters.

Pertinent pointers on the manage
ment of the SOW and litter as a fac
tor in preventing loss Of little pigs
are timely now as Iowa's pig crop
comes largely during March ana
April. The great loss from the stand
point Of numbers occurs during these
months. Some springs see greater
losses than others, for the weather Is
vital factor one way or another.
March was severe month as re-
CARDS the health Of little pigs. anu
there are reports Of big losses from
thumps, white scours, pneumonia ana
kindred troubles that are influenced
more or less by the weather.
The equipment or system Of hous-
ing and plan of management swine
breeder has Is big factor i'll regard
to such losses. Recently trip was
made to several farms where hog
raising is a major operation. On two
of these farms were found hog hous-
es costing $1,000 and $4,000, resepc-
lively. and yet the little pigs were
dying with thumps and white SCOUTS
Cause Of Heavy Pig Loss.
The owners we're at loss to know
what to do to protect the pigs. they
had invested heavily in houses and
believed adequate protection had
been afforded.
Unfortunately, however, these
costly hog palaces were built on fiat
land, none other being available. For
a month, while the pigs were small
the snow. water and mud was 50 bad
about the houses that the sows and
litters were forced to stay indoors
The floors were of cement and drains
had been provided, but the water
could not run away, so the floors
were damp and cold, furnishing ide-
al conditions for white scours to
break out. '..- e
The houses were light, but the sun
did not strike the floor Of the pens
as it should. This close confinement
brought on thumps, and the white
scours. while probably brought on by
the feed. was difficult to combat be-
cause of the condition Of the floors
Overlays should have been placed on
the floors and bedding used literally
On the Other Hand
,On the other hand several farms
were visited where the main hos
house was a wooden affair with wood
floors, and the owners were using In
conjunction with the house a number
OF small colony houses. These men
were not losing their pigs, yet the
weather was common to both the
richly housed and less favorably
sheltered places. The sows narrowed
in the central houses and as soon as
the pigs were old enough to run
about litter was put with the dam
into one of the colony houses. set
out in a lot where there was little
mud. Tho sows had to come out for
feed and the little pigs usually fol-
lowed and got the necessary exercise
to prevent thumps.
A striking lesson can be drawn
from these different systems of man
agement. The colony houses are ex-
cellent places for little pigs. because
they are dry, warm and afford q
chance for exercise, the best pre-
tentative Of thumps.
Many well planned hog house is
practically ruined because of its To-
cation. Well drained, dry lots, and
dry floors should receive first con-
sideration in the construction of q