648 journal o) Agriculture. [11 Oct., 1909. 



in good condition but not too fat. The average litter from good sows 

 should be about eight ; you can get five litters of eight pigs in two years, 

 say, twenty pigs per sow per year. 1 never advise selling pigs at two 

 months; keep them till thev are five months' old. and about 140 lbs. 

 weight — at 6d. per lb. thev will return jQt^ ios. each, or a gross return of 

 ^70 per year from one sow. If ten sows and one hog are kept on the farm, 

 and have the same average, the gross inicome would be jQl 00 per year. 



A few days before farrowing give the sow half a pint of castor oil in her 

 food ; a week afterwards give her a packet of Epsom salts. The voung 

 pigs should be weaned at six to eight weeks old, not later. Castrate the 

 male pigs at three weeks ; do not allow the young pigs to loose their baby 

 fat, but keep them going right from the start. If milk is available, 

 sterilize by heating to 180 degrees, mix with wheat or barley crushed, and 

 l)oiled potatoes; the water m which the potatoes are boiled should be 

 thrown awav. Mix the food well into a sloppv condition for voung pigs. 

 When they are three months, make it more stiff b\- putting less Jiquor with 

 it. When four months old, give plenty of drv food. A suitable ration 

 is one gallon of milk, 3 lbs. of potatoes, and 4 lbs. of crushed barlev or 

 wheat per pig per day. At this age they should make 15 lbs. per w-eek, if 

 well looked after, and at the end of five months should weigh 140 lbs. 

 If peas are available, a pint of peas per day is a great improvement, before 

 being marketed, as it improves the appearance of the skin, and makes the 

 flesh more solid. It is essential to provide plenty of clean water in a 

 separate trough for the pigs to drink ; also to have plentv of charcoal 

 and a piece of rocksalt in the stye. 



Always sterilize the milk fed to pigs. This is of great importance 

 as it is a safeguard against the transmission of tuberculosis and other 

 di.seases to pigs. Green barley, rape, and lucerne are excellent for sows 

 and young pigs ; mangolds and sugar beet are also verv good. Give a 

 little bran in the food occasionallv. 



Summary of Breeders" Opinions. 



The ojiinions of 30 Victorian pig-breeders were given recentlv in 

 the Australasian. Fifteen favoured the Yorkshire and Berkshire cross ; 

 eleven, pure Berkshires ; two, a cross between the Tamworth and Berk- 

 shire ; and one, a cross betw-een the Yorkshire and Tamworth, doubtless 

 the Tamworth which, at one time was preferred in Victoria to all other 

 breeds. It has, however, receded in popular fa\our. because it showed a 

 tendenc\- to weakness of constitution brought about l)\ inbreeding. Crossing 

 with a Yorkshire appears to give .stamina and rapidity of growth to progeny. 



An interesting point brought out in the discussion is the relative gain 

 in using a Yorkshire lx)'ar wdth Berkshire sows in ])reference to a Berkshire 

 boar with Yorkshire sows. With the Yorkshire boar there is the great ad- 

 vantage that all the yoimg ones will he white, and of fairly good type ; 

 the cross used the other way, that is to say, a Berkshire boar and York 

 shire sow. gives pigs of all colours — some white and .some black, others 

 spotted, and a numlx-r untrue ti) the t\])e of either parent. On the 

 other hand, several contributors point out that the Yorkshire sow is a 

 better mother than the Berkshire, and raises larger litters successful! \. 

 In using the Yorkshire as pure breeds, or in crossing. T prefer the middle 

 Yorkshire. He is a (]uick grower and better shaped and more hardy for 

 this climate as he grows plenty of hair, and has a finer skin than pigs of 

 any other breed. 



With respect to the age at which pigs should be allowed to breed 

 opinions were almost unanimous, i.e.. tliat sows should not farrow before 

 thev are twelve months old. 



