EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 203 



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are over ten feet in width the swinging partitions are too cumbersome to work 

 well. They should not be made to swing into the pen past the edge of the 

 trough when fastened or the pigs will soon gnaw the edge of the bottom board 

 off. These partitions are made to swing back until they stand straight up over- 

 head resting at the ends between the posts. This permits pigs to be driven 

 out or in, or the cleaning of the pens from the alley. In this case doors coh- 

 necting the alley and pens were purposely omitted. 



The troughs are made of two-iuch hemlock constructed in a V shape, one side 

 being two-by-ten inch material and the other side and ends two-by-eight. These 

 troughs are simply toe-nailed in between the division posts so that they can be 

 removed easily and replaced when necessary. We like the V shaped troughs 

 in preference to any flat-bottomed sort, in the piggery, because the pigs can 

 clean them more readily and thoroughly and there is practically no contact at 

 the floor except for the short end pieces; as a result filth and moisture do not 

 accumula beneath them. On the under side of the V shaped trough, next the 

 alley, the floor is always dry and on the pen side it can be cleaned thoroughly 

 and is always exposed to the air. Hemlock troughs last from two to five years, 

 or even longer, particularly if protected by a strip of band iron on the inner 

 edge. Sloppy feed does not chill or freeze in wood troughs as readily as ia 

 cement or metal. We like flat bottomed troughs for out door feedin.g where 

 they are moved about frequently, they are not upset so readily as the V shaped 

 ones. We also like low sided, flat bottomed troughs for weanling pigs. 



Hog Cots. — Reference has already been made to the desirability of hog cots to 

 use in connection with the piggery. When climatic conditions are not too rigorous, 

 cots only are employed for handling the entire herd. In general, the climatic 

 conditions in Michigan are too extreme to permit the use of cots for all classes of 

 hogs for all purposes during the entire year. They are especially desirable, how- 

 ever, for dry brood sows and young males and females being reared for breed- 

 ing purposes; it is in this way we are using them. They are desirable because 

 an abundance of fresh air, sunshine and exercise are provided. During the sum- 

 mer season cotting and yarding nearly all classes of pigs cannot be excelled. 



Fig. 6, 7 and 8 represent three forms of cots now in use at the Michigan Agri- 

 cultural College. Figs. G and 7 are forms which have been in use at the institu- 

 tion for some years. The form of cot shown by Fig. 6 is desirable in that it is 

 warm in winter but objectionable in that it provides little protection against the 

 extreme heat of summer. It is also considered a good form of cot for the brood 

 sow to forrow in in moderate weather as she cannot lie down close enough to 

 the sloping roof to crush her pigs as against a wall. A general mistake is made 

 in fastening this form of cot permanently to the skids, or runners, on which it 

 is built. These are the first to decay and along with them the lower ends of 

 the boards, thus making repairs impossible even though the balance of the struc- 

 ture remains sound. A separate pair of skids should be constructed for this or 

 any other form of cot so that they can be replaced. Its own weight will hold the 

 cot in place on the skids while being moved. 



Fig. 7 shows a form of hog cot, six by eight feet with perpendicular sides and 

 a flat though slightly sloping roof. This form of cot is made in five separate pieces, 

 the four sides and top, so constructed as to bolt together at the four corners. 

 This form of cot is warm in winter and too warm in summer with its flat top 

 exposed to the sun's rays, and though it may be planned so that the top can be 

 raised in summer, there is trouble from the wind occasionally unroofing it. It 

 is also objectionable in that the feections are too heavy for one man to move and 

 as a result it is not moved as frequently as hog cots should be. All cots should be 

 furnished with skids so that they can be moved frequently by a team and one man 

 and not taken to pieces and moved in sections. 



Fig. 8 represents a form of cot recently designed and constructed and now in 

 use in our hog lots. It is six by eight feet at the foundation with the sides 

 raised perpendicularly three feet before receiving the half pitch roof boards. 

 The center boards on the sides are hinged so that they can be swung open ia 

 hot weather; the opening thus made is covered with strong woven wire, clamped 

 above and below between inch boards; the inner clamp boards project an inch 

 beyond the outer ones, thus breaking the joints and preventing any draught whea 

 the openings are closed. The two ridge boards are also hinged so that they can 

 be opened during hot weather. These openings permit a free circulation 

 of air which not only lowers the temperature but greatly relieves the oppression 



