THE BREEDING OF PIGS FOR BACON 193 



Breeding Boar. 



If the breeding boar is to be raised on the farm, 

 he may be left with pigs of the same age and fed 

 generously on separator milk, together with lucerne 

 if available. Free range in an enclosed camp will 

 make him healthier and hardier, and this method 

 may be continued until he is about five months old, 

 when he should be removed from the others, and 

 the food should be increased both in quality and 

 quantity. The age at which the boar should be 

 used for service will depend on how it has grown 

 and filled out. If the animal is strong and vigorous 

 he may be used at eight months, but if he is not too 

 well developed and has not been too well fed he 

 should not be used before ten months of age. 



The boar should not run continually with the 

 sows, for these remain in heat a good while, and if 

 he is frequently serving the sows his litters become 

 smaller and the pigs produced are not so robust. 

 One service has been proved, beyond controversy, 

 to be as good as a dozen matings, and the boar is 

 thus able to serve more sows in a season. For a 

 good average well-grown boar fifty to sixty sows 

 are quite enough for him to serve in a season. The 

 more work he is doing the better he should be 

 fed, and separator milk and mealies, together with 

 lucerne, etc., may well be given him at this time. 

 When not being used for service, green food is 



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