SWINE 281 



The cost of producing a pound of live weight is much less 

 for growing pigs than for those which have reached maturity. 

 For this reason the farmer finds it more profitable to sell his 

 market pigs before they are a year old. Those to be sold as 

 fat hogs should not be fed through two winters. 



The life of a spring pig may be conveniently considered 

 as divided into four feeding periods of six or eight weeks 

 each: (1) The milk period, during which time a large part of 

 his growth is from his mother's milk, but some sloppy feed 

 may be added; (2) the wet mash period, when the feed is 

 mostly given in the wet form and plenty of skim milk is 



Fig. 187. — Students judging large Yorkshire swine. The bacon type. 

 (U. S. Office of Experiment Stations). 



supplied to him. The ground feeds, such as middlings, 

 gluten, and other feeds rich in protein, are used in the wet 

 mash; and some sliced roots and clover pasture may be 

 allowed; (3) the pasture period, when the clovers and 

 grasses produce the greatest growth. A little wet mash is 

 fed at the first part of this period and a little dry grain 

 toward the last; (4) the corn period, or fattening stage. It 

 is well to use some sliced roots in addition to the corn, but 

 it is not best to give a wide range on pasture at this time. 

 If this four-period plan of feeding is followed for early 

 spring pigs they can be sold without carrying them over 

 winter. 



