The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-12-07
HOGS

The following article is WORTH
reading by hog raise-s. We have nan
a number of hogs go down this year
in Madison and Rockcastle. For tins
reason I invite you to read III
Stoudu's article on the subject "Why
Hogs Go Down Behind"
Ames, Iowa.-Answering numerous
inquiries from the county agents o'
Iowa as to why hogs ego down be
hind" DR.. X. w. Stouder, extension
service specialist, Iowa State College,
says:
"Weakness of the legs and back
[. such an extent that the animal Is
unable to stand is commonly seen
among hogs-seen more often Of re-
cent years perhaps than it was some
time back.
1--WE must not assume that 1t is
all caused by the same thing, nor
that all cases are exactly alike. In
foct, they can easily be divided into
al least two groups-the old SOW that
goes down, and the young, growing
storker pig. Most sows go down
after sucking vigorous litter OF
pies, and such cases are usually due
to lack of enough mineral, proteins
and vitamines in the rations to sup
port the litter she raises and to pro-
vide for her own body maintenance
needs as well.
MANY of these cases recover, as
the experienced feeder knows, If the
patient is put on a ration of Who'll,
cows milk every day, for it supplies
the deficiencies; but it is more i'm
portant to remember that this type
of going down behind would not have
occurred had the ration been well
balanced during the CESSATION period
and while she was sucking the litter.
young pigs may also go down
because Of unbalanced rations, par.
ticularly, it seems, if the ration IS
low in mineral content, or the vita
mines so essential to good health. IT
may also result from generations Of
breeding and selection, together with
forced feeding for early maturity,
rapid gains and excessive fat produc-
ton, disregarding constitution, good
body framework and vigor. Cases of
this kind are common, we believe, and
strongly indicate why these animals
and their close relatives should b.
discarded as breeding animals to per-
petuate the herd, for in such cases
predisposition has much to do with
its occurrence. Its occurrence one
generation after another in certain
families can thus be accounted for,
in part, at least.
"Some animals that go down show
deficiency Of bone; some show degen-
Grafton of nerves that control the
muscles of the back and legs; others
are found to suffer disease Of the
DOHy SuIldScS tHdt SoihS toSSthSI a.
a joint, particularly where the thigh
bone attaches to the body.
Advocates Cleanliness
These latter cases of diseased
joints may be the result of navel
Infection the first few days after
birth and could have been avoided
had the pig been narrowed in a very
clean place and kept under the clean
est surroundings, together with TO-
dine or other good antiseptic treat
ment of the navel till it dries up.
Treatment of these cases gives
variable results, perhaps depending
first on the great difficulty of dag
nosing with certainty the exact trou-
Die in each case presented for treat
ment.
Some cases on a mineral mixture,
especially if given calcium phosphate,
while others do better on spoonful
doses each day of cod liver oil, be-
cause the latter is rich in vitamines
1t has been reported to us that