FATTENING PIGS 377 



wheat-, or rye-meal. If whey be given to the mother without 

 being boiled or soured, it is liable to induce diarrhoea in the 

 young pigs. Young pigs grow very quickly during the first 

 few days. Those which maintain possession of the teats 

 nearest the fore-legs are usually the largest and strongest. 

 Each has its own teat or teats, although they steal from each 

 other whenever an opportunity occurs. They cannot draw 

 milk at all times, but only when the sow permits. She 

 then lies flat on one side, and utters every now and then a 

 subdued grunt, while the young ones suck with an avidity 

 peculiarly their own. When the litter is about three weeks 

 old, they should begin to eat from a trough, and be first 

 supplied with full milk, gradually changed to skim milk 

 thickened with pollard and boiled potatoes ; and the sow also 

 requires a more nourishing diet, to prevent her losing flesh. 



The scurf which collects on the skins of pigs may be 

 removed by washing with a mixture of one of paraffin to 

 eight of water, stirred all the time and riot rubbed in hard. 

 This wash destroys hog lice (Pediculus suis, Lin.), which 

 resemble somewhat the common lice of sheep (p. 644), but it 

 is liable to blister the tenderest parts, as those behind the 

 roots of the ears. (See Bulletin No. 69, Bureau of Animal 

 Industry, U.S.A., 1905.) 



Fattening- Pigs. A tarmer or dairyman should breed 

 his own pigs, for then he secures the whole profit and 

 reduces the risk of importing hog-cholera (the bane of the 

 pig-breeder's life), or other diseases. Young pigs vary much 

 in price I2s. to 303., or more, at weaning I guinea being a 

 good average, and leaving a satisfactory profit to the breeder. 

 A pig-house to hold five or six pigs ought to have a southern 

 aspect, and stand in a sheltered and dry position, and consist 

 of an inner compartment and an outer court, each 8 to 10 

 feet square. Six pigs of 12 stone estimated dead-weight 

 each, have ample room to feed at one time from a trough 

 8 feet long. It is better to feed in the outer court rather 

 than under cover, as pigs then keep the place they select to 

 lie on cleaner, by leaving their droppings in the court. 

 There are great differences in individual pigs in the matter 

 of cleanly habits. Some deposit their solid excrement in 

 one corner of the sty, while others drop it anywhere, but 

 when the house is constructed on a good principle, cleanly 



