HOG 



provide the maximum of comfort and convenience at a min- 

 imum of cost. While these structures are to be found prin- 

 cipally on farms where hog raising is the chief business, they 

 can easily be so changed in plan or size as to meet the needs 

 of general purpose farms where hogs are but part of the 

 total income. 



The most important points in hog house construction 

 are comfort for the animal under all conditions, convenience 

 for the care-taker in feeding and handling them, and good 

 sanitation. The house must provide sufficient warmth in 

 cold weather to keep the swine in good condition and still 

 allow shade on the hottest days of the summer. It must be 

 so arranged as to permit feeding the hogs easily and quickly, 

 and of handling them with the least amount of disturbance. 

 Sanitation is very necessary and attention paid to it will be 

 amply rewarded later in healthier swine and, consequently, 

 greater financial returns. 



The successful hog house is built to include such ar- 

 rangements as will do away with disease instead of develop- 

 ing it, as is often the case. Since most of the diseases which 

 seriously affect swine are germ diseases, it follows that the 

 construction which will prevent the entrance and develop- 

 ment of germs is the best. Sunlight is one of the common- 

 est, most effective and cheapest germicides known. The 

 hog house should be provided with a maximum amount of 

 sunlight at times when it is most needed. 



With good, warm buildings it is possible for successful 

 hog raisers to have their sows commence to farrow about 

 March first. In order to have pigs large enough for the fall 

 demand, breeders find it necessary to have their pigs come 

 about this time and even producers of market hogs find the 

 practice very profitable. Several marked advantages belong 

 to the early pigs. First, early in March there is usually more 

 time to care for them. Second, by the time the pastures are 

 ready the pigs are large enough to begin to eat, hence 

 they get the longest possible pasture season and can thus be 

 expected to make better gains from grass than will the later 

 pigs. They can be kept on pasture until ready for market 

 or nearly so. Not only can they make more use of pastures, 

 but they can make more economical use of all feed, because 

 they can be finished for market before cold weather sets in, 



Four 



