220 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



In the case of the boar the objects to be sought are those of 

 strength, vigorousness, activity and healthiness, and therefore our 

 energies in the care of the boar must be guided in that direction. 

 Then shall nitrogenous or non-nitrogenous feeds be fed? Shall he 

 be kept thin in flesh or very fleshy? The answer given to the 

 first question should depend upon the age of the animal. A boar 

 that has not yet reached maturity will require a narrower ration 

 than the one that has, for the reason that he is building up his 

 vital organs, muscles and bones (parts built up largely of nitro- 

 genous or proteid material), while the mature hog is but maintain- 

 ing his. The mature boar should carry a sufficient amount of flesh 

 to insure a thrifty, healthy appearance. An over-abundant amount 

 of flesh is not conducive to exercise, and consequently places the 

 boar in an inactive condition, and a somewhat less active condition 

 of the cells themselves. Exercise is the prime essential with the 

 boar. 



To induce exercise, he should be given plenty of range with 

 an abundance of pasturage. If his lot be divided so that forage 

 crops of rape and cowpeas or alfalfa may be given, then along 

 with this pasturage but little grain need be given. The nature of 

 the grain ration of the mature boar will depend upon the nature 

 of the pasture. If he is being pastured on a proteid pasture his 

 ration should be balanced with a small amount of corn, a pound or 

 two per day, with possibly a small amount of bran or middlings 

 slop. At the time of the breeding season the ration should be in- 

 creased so that he will be gaining in flesh. The reason for this is 

 that it has been found if the boar and sow are gaining in flesh at 

 this time that they are in a perfect healthy condition, and that they 

 are producing a greater number of reproductive cells that are more 

 active and strong than in hogs that are simply on a maintenance 

 ration. These cells, then, being of a greater number and more 

 vigorous, there will be large, even litters of pigs. 



For winter feeding again the boar should not be confined to 

 too small a yard, and if he refuses to take exercise he should be 

 induced to take it either by driving him about or by making the 

 distance between the sleeping and eating quarters greater. Let his 

 ration be balanced to about 1 :5 or 6, and consist of corn, bran, 

 alfalfa meal or hay, and shorts. Barley and wheat are also good 

 feeds. Make his ration rather bulky. The addition of a few roots, 

 1 or 2 mangles per day, make a very good appetizer, and help to 

 regulate the bowels. 



The case of the sow while farrow and at the breeding season 



