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FARMERS INSTITUTES. 



well set out on the corners. Theu, in order tJiat this standard may be 

 maintained, proper care should be exercised in the selection of the male 

 to which they are to be bred, as it is generally recognized that he has 

 half the influence upon the future herd. And now having our brood sow 

 selected, and _^the male to which she is to be mated, we come to the 

 consideration of our subject proper, "The Care and Management (ff the 

 Brood Sow." Tlie most important factors to be considered are shelter, 

 proper feed, cleanliness and exercise. Good shelter is necessary for 

 obvious reasons, not necessarily expensive buildings, but ^the shelter 

 must be warm and dry. Cold drafts must positively be avoided, 

 especially after the arrival of the litter, as pigs and "young hogs are 

 perhaps more susceptible to colds and pneumonia than any other 

 animals. Cold drafts will produce these afflictions sooner than you 

 think, and when the pigs once contract these diseases they are only a little 

 way from the grave. The nest is of prime importance, and must not 

 under any consideration, if the health of the litter is to be maintained, 

 be alloAved to become either damp or dusty. And, to accomplish this 

 requires great care and close attention. It can perhaps best be accom- 

 plished by use of plank floors and frequent changing of bedding, and 

 by providing a separate place for the sow to eat. Stone and cement 

 floors, while all right to feed on, are to cold for sleeping quarters. In 

 order to acquire the best results from your breeding, it is necessary that 

 your sows should not be too fat, rather a little thin and on the upward 

 turn on moderate feed, as, under those circumstances, your sows and 

 male both are more apt to be healthy, strong, and vigorous, which is 

 very necessary in order to produce a large, healthy, strong litter of 

 pigs. After breeding it is also necessary that your sows sliould be 

 dieted in order to obtain good results at farrowing. By dieting, I mean 

 that the sows should be fed diversified feed, Avhich has a tendency to 

 produce more bone and muscles than fat. It is to the detriment of both 

 the mother and the young to feed a full corn diet at this time. I have 

 had very good luck with my brood sows by feeding them one-third 

 oats, one-tliird sliorts and one-thii'd corn ground and soaked twelve hours 

 before feeding; but I allow them to take plenty of exercise at this period 

 of time. The brood sow should also be provided with the range of a 

 good clover or blue'grass pasture if possible, and at any time should at 

 least have plenty of range for exercise. A correct record of the date 

 of breeding should be kept, in order that the sow may be allowed her 

 liberty up as near to the time of farrowing as possible, and yet no risk 

 be talvcn of allowing her to farrow among the other hogs. 



Two or three days before farrowing she should be put by herself 

 where she will not be disturbed by too close proximity to the other 

 hogs, her nest looked after carefully, which should be dry and clean, 

 but not too abundant. All this, if you have kept upon the kind of terms 



