Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-05-07
Sow Rations in
Nursing Period
For Few Days After Litter
Is Born Animal Requires
Good Attention.

(By e. w. CHAMPION, Lecturer in
Animal Husbandry, Macdonald Col
lege, Quebec.)
For some ten days after the litter
is born the SOW requires good deal
of detailed attention. 1t is during this
period that the pigs get their start in
life and the care and feed given their
mother determines to large extent
whether this start is good or bad Once
past the ten-day mark, however, the
problem is pretty much one of feed
ing the SOW for maximum milk flow.
After the .....tter reaches this age there
is little dagger of their getting more
milk from their mother than is good
for them.
The Nursing Period.
This marks the beginning of the
real nursing period and the ration Of
the SOW will stand change at this
time. The rather light, cooling mix
ture used to start on is not strong
enough to stimulate nor maintain the
maximum milk flow which now be-
comes an important consideration. The
feeding practice can also be altered to
include a third feeding. 1t has been
found that three feeds a day to heav-
lily milking SOW gives somewhat bet
ter results than where the feeding is
done only morning and night. The
instigation of the third feeding at this
time may also simplify the question
of the ration change.
AS already suggested, the SOW now
needs more heavy, milk-producing
stuffs, and nothing fills this bill bet
ter than ear corn. When the time
comes to make the change in the ra-
ton it can be done very simply by
giving the sow ear corn at noon. In
other words, the regular slop feed CIV
en- morning and night is not changed
either in kind or amount, the increase
and change being affected by using
noon feeding of ear corn. Six average
ears of corn will add about two pounds
of grain to the daily allowance and
one has but to watch the sow when
this is fed to be convinced that she
relishes it. Furthermore. corn is an
excellent milk producer, carrying
pound for pound more energy-produc-
ing products than any other common
hog feed.
1t is not to be inferred that six ears
of corn at noon in addition to the six
pounds of meal fed in the regular slop
feeds will suffice throughout the nurs-
ing period This Is simply the first al
lowance which in itself does increase
the feed some two pounds per day. A
big SOW nursing a dozen husky pigs
will need further increases as time
goes on These needs will be indicated
and governed by her appetite though
ordinarily total daily allowance of
II pounds of meal or its equivalent
will be found sufficient for most in
slividuals. These subsequent increases
should be proportional in all three
meals and the corn should not be al
lowed at any time to constitute more
than one-third of the daily feed.
When Corn Is Not Available.
For the man who has no ear corn
the problem is little different in prac-
-tice though the same in principle Such
feeds as hominy yellow preferred),
barley or rye will answer the same
purpose as corn though not quite as
efficiently. When these feeds are to
be used they should be ground where
necessary and added to the regular
meal mixture in amounts up TO one
third of the total mixture. The noon
feeding under this plan will be slop
feed, the total days allowance being
divided into three equal feeds.
In addition to the meal, don't forget
to keep fresh water before the SOW at
all times. This is quite important for
sows in milk. 1t is well to make the
slop rather thick and then provide the
water separately. A sow's
thirst is variable from day to day, and
it is next to impossible to gauge how
much she will want. If her water is
all included in the slop, there is
chance for too much or too little drink
being supplied on given day.
Lastly, feed each sow separately. A
sow should be fed to maintain as near
ly as is possible her condition through
out her nursing period. No two sows
will require the same amounts of feed
to do this. Then again, when they are
fed in groups, there are bound to be
some sows that will be kept away from
the trough and will not get their prop
er share. A little time spent in feed
ing and caring for the SOW during this
period will be well repaid later when
the litter starts for market.