JO April 191^-] The Pig Imiusiry. 251; 



the ordinary food. At ten or eleven weeks old they may be fed three or 

 four times daily. 



This is the most critical stage of the pigs life, and the treatment that 

 we give those intended for the stud will be the most suitable for those 

 destined for pork or bacon. The old idea of allowing the pigs to become 

 stores is wrong, and unprofitable from every standpoint. Provided there 

 is a demand for it, the younger the pig the more per lb. you will get for 

 it, and the less per pound will it cost to produce. The young pig has 

 greater powers of digestion and assimilation, and can, therefore, produce 

 a greater weight of meat from a given amount of food than an old one. 

 The younger it is the greater the proportion of lean to fat, it is also tender 

 and juicy, and when mild cured is what the consumer will pay the most 

 money for. The older and heavier they are, the greater the proportion of 

 fat, the more it costs to produce, and the less per lb. will the curers pay for 

 it. The aim should be to fatten the pig right from the time it is born, 

 first through the sow, then as above indicated, then if the price for porkers 

 at 70 to 90 lbs. is good, let them go. If not, they should be suitable for 

 the bacon-curer at 120 lbs. carcase weight. This is the weight in greatest 

 demand, and should be produced at five to six months old. To obtain 

 these results we must have the right class of pig, quick growing, and 

 .strong constitutioned, of those breeds that naturally produce lean or 

 muscle more than fat. 



Sometimes little pigs are affected with tits, they suddenly fall over,, 

 remain motionless for a few minutes, and gradually recover. After repeated 

 attacks they die. This is due to over feeding or too rich food, but with the 

 use of the powder above mentioned this is not likely to occur. Another 

 way of working the little pigs is when they are about three or four weeks 

 old, to turn the sow out for an hour or two in the middle of the day, and 

 during her absence give them some milk in a trough. They will soon learn 

 to feed, and by degrees add some pollard, and give a few whole peas or 

 wheat. Any left in the trough will be eaten by the sow on her return. In 

 this way they wdll learn to become independent of the mother, so that in 

 eight or nine weeks time they can be weaned without feeling her loss, 

 and the sow wdll gradually dry off without any inconvenience to herself. 

 At weaning time a little barley meal may be given in addition to the 

 pollard, and at ten w^eeks old they mav have about one-fourth meal and 

 three-fourths pollard. 



About a tablespoonful of bone meal per pig pei da^ should be given 

 in the food. This will greatly economize the food, and help to keep them 

 healthy. 



Powder for Pigs. 



U.S..\. Bureau of Animal Industry. 



Wood cliarcoal 



Sulphur 



Salt .. 



Bi-carbonate of soda (baking soda) 



Hyposulphite of soda . . 



Sulphate of soda 



Sulphide of antimony (black antimony) 



] lb. 

 1 



Thoroughly pulverize and mix and give one tablesi>oonful daily \)er 100 lb. live 

 "weight of pig. 



