THE SOW : SELECTION AND .MANAGEMENT 



119 



water, another received a ration of 2 parts corn, i 

 part wiieat bran and 2 parts chopped clover hay. 

 These parts were determined by measure and the clover 

 was steeped in a little water for half an hour before 

 being mixed with the shelled corn and bran. At far- 

 rowing time each sow which had been fed the corn 

 dropped five pigs, three of which were fat and chubby 

 and the other two runts. The other sows averaged eight 

 pigs each and there were only two runts in a herd of 28^ 

 The 26 were as nearly perfect specimens of their breeds 

 as he ever saw, and were sold at eight months, averag- 

 ing 2y8 pounds each. The price for which they were 

 sold represented a profit of nearly 47 per cent after 

 counting in a reasonable amount for labor and a good 

 price for all feed given them. The six pigs from the 

 corn- fed sows were sold at the same age, averaging 185 

 pounds each, and the farmer believes he lost money on 

 them. All tiie pigs were fed and reared on practically 

 the same rations. 



BROOD SOWS AFTER CATTLE 



Many farmers are so situated that they find it most 

 convenient to allow their brood sows to run in corrals 

 with their fattening cattle, although this has numerous 

 disadvantages. The cattle are likely to horn, trample, 

 or otherwise injure the sows. When allowed with the 

 cattle they should be given separate quarters at night, 

 outside the feed-lot, and not restricted to the food they 

 will gather up after the cattle. Before turning out with 

 the cattle in the morning it is advisable to give them a 



