124 SWINE IN AMERICA 



without the formation of a dust bed or trough. If the 

 floor and bedding are dank and the place gloomy the 

 pigs will suffer. Cold drafts from above, below or 

 round about, and dampness, bring with them various 

 and fatal afflictions which should be guarded against. 

 The bedding should be changed at least once a week, 

 and oftener when damp or soiled. For the farrowing 

 pen cement and stone floors have their advocates, and 

 such floors have the advantage of greater permanency, 

 but earth or wood can be made satisfactory. 



As a rule the brood sow should be separated from 

 other hogs two weeks or ten days before the time of 

 farrowing, and placed in a sheltered, sunny pen or other 

 separate inclosure. She will then need less exercise, but 

 should have the best possible attention as to feeding. A 

 slightly less amount of feed will be needed, especially 

 for a few days before farrowing, when the breeder's 

 effort should be to aid the sow in maintaining the best 

 possible condition of health, and in accomplishing this 

 he should be careful not to go too far either one way 

 or the other. It is not difficult to see how he might 

 become too careless or negligent, but at the same time 

 it should be remembered that he may show himself so 

 over-solicitous and interfere so much as to do harm. 

 The state of the weather and the time of the year will 

 have considerable to do with the need for his services 

 at farrowing, and the temperament of the sow should 

 as well be taken into consideration. She should have 

 become accustomed beforehand to regard the man who 

 comes about the lot or pen as her friend, but even then 



