1916.] SWINE RAISING. 57 



Cleanliness prevents most of the hog troubles ; it cannot be over- 

 emphasized. 



Feeding of the Brood Sow. 



The success of a hog raising adventure depends in no small 

 measure upon the care and feeding of the brood sow. Sows to bring 

 forth large litters should be gaining slightly at time of breeding. 

 During the pregnancy period she should gain approximately one- 

 half pound per day. This will depend a great deal upon whether 

 the sow is a young or old one. Young sows gain more. Sows 

 should not be allowed to become too fat, however, for the pigs 

 will be small, and the sow is liable to have trouble at farrowing 

 time. If the sow is a young one she should receive a ration 

 which will insure her proper development and at the same time 

 develop a litter of strong, vigorous pigs. (Review of some work 

 done at Ames.) The sow should be obliged to exercise and she 

 should have access to mineral matter. 



Corn meal and middlings half-and-half is a satisfactory 

 ration. A small amount of roots may be fed. In fact a variety 

 of feeds should be fed keeping in mind, however, those essential 

 constituents such as protein and mineral matter. 



At the Iowa Experiment Station some interesting work has 

 been carried on in the development of gilts for breeding purposes. 

 They have been trying out self-feeders. Some fifty gilts on rape 

 pasture were allowed access to middlings, tankage and oil meal. 

 These feeds being placed in separate compartments. Shelled corn 

 was also fed daily in limited amounts. At seven months of age 

 twenty-one of the gilts were selected for breeding purposes and 

 they averaged 240 pounds each. The self-feeders are labor 

 savers, each hog balances his own ration. It is a practice worthy 

 of consideration. 



The sow nursing pigs should be given all she will consume 

 Pigs make their most economical gains while nursing the mother. 

 Few stop to think that eight pigs at weaning time will often out- 

 weigh the mother, and their gain has come largely from the 

 mother. Skim milk should be provided for the dam if it is avail- 

 able. 



The little pigs should be fed middlings and skim milk, 

 although skim milk is not a necessity. Where skim milk an d 



