TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK—PART X 577 



straight; all points, side, liam and shoulders should touch a rule when 

 placed against the side. A hos with v.ell sprung ribs is generally a good 

 feeder and breeder. 



A hog should have good hams and shoulders; they are the most valuable 

 parts of the hog. The ham should run well down on the hock, 

 well rounded out, net curved in behind. The legs should be heavy and 

 straight, this not a fancy point. A hcg is not worth much with poor weak 

 legs; the size of the leg is an indication of the size of bone. 



The legs should be placed under the corners, not under the center of 

 the hog. The feet are an important point; when it comes to marketing 

 good feet will carry large hogs to market but poor feet will sometimes give 

 out with even light hogs. Hogs with poor feet are more liable to contract 

 rheumatism. The tail is a continuation of the spine and is an indication 

 of the hog's condition. 



There are a good many minor points that I might mention but I think 

 that these are the principal points to look for. Great care should be used 

 in feeding the brood sow and a large part of the ration should be bone and 

 muscle building foods such as. oats, skim milk, shorts, etc., with a very lit- 

 tle corn and I think that it is jvst as well to cut corn out of the ration en- 

 tirely. 



After farrowing the sow should be fed little for the first 24 hours ex- 

 cept water. After this increase the feed gradually for 3 or 4 days until 

 you have her on full feed. If pigs are farrowed in late spring or summer 

 and you have a good pasture for them the feeding and care are easy prob- 

 lems; corn, pasture, milk and shorts make a ration that is hard to beat, 

 but if the little fellows make their appearance late in the fall or early 

 spring the case is more difficult to handle. Be careful not to let the little 

 fellows get chilled; a chilled pig is almost as good as a dead one. For 

 growing pigs I know of nothing that is better than sweet skim milk with 

 shorts and a small amount of corn. When the skim milk is short you can 

 supplement it with tankage. 5 parts corn, 3 parts shorts, one part ground 

 oats, one part tankage, is considered by some hog raisers as an ideal ra- 

 tion for growing. This fed with one quart of milk to pigs about 3 to 6 

 months old ought to make fine gains. A straight corn ration can be fed at 

 less cost. But I believe that the effect of the bone and muscle forming 

 foods in the shape of shorts, tankage, etc., amply repay the extra cost in 

 building good, strong frame and strong constitution. 



We have kept Chester White hogs in this way 7 years and never had a 

 case of cholera or but very few sick hogs. Novv about pasture; some have 

 lots of trouble witb hogs on pasture especially rape pasture. I believe that 

 the principal cause of having trout)!e with your hogs on rape is that you 

 let it get too large. If the rape is large the young pigs run through it when 

 the dew is on and get wet which causes them to chap and get sore. V/e 

 find that by turning on Vv-hen young and tender they eat it better than 

 after it gets old and tough. It is surprising what a difference it makes in 

 the other feeds when you have a good pasture. 



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