CHAPTER VIII. 



Pigs. Weaning and Growth 



A hog is half made when past the weaning period 

 without a stunt or kink in its growth. Every check or 

 halt in prosperity through its first two montlis is more 

 expensive than at any later period. Too much rich, 

 feverish milk of the dam, causing thumps or other ail- 

 ment, may leav^e harmful results, perhaps as much so as 

 scant feeding or other neglect of the sow. More in- 

 jury may be done to a pig's growth in two or three days 

 than can be repaired in a month, even if he is made the 

 subject of special care, wliich, where many are raised, is 

 not the rule nor easily practicable. "Good luck" with 

 pigs calls for attention, and that not occasional, but fre- 

 quent and regular. 



MEANING THE PIGS 



From the first week after farrowing until weaning 

 time the sow will be little else than a milk machine, and 

 to be a high-power machine in perfect operation she 

 must have proper care. Nothing else is so well calcu- 

 lated to make pigs grow as a bountiful supply of whole- 

 some sow's milk, and the pigs that have plenty of other 

 teed with the milk of a well-slopped sow for eight weeks 

 will ordinarily have much the start of those weaned at 

 five or six weeks, no matter how much food and atten- 

 tion the earlier weaned pigs may have had. At eight or 



14!) 



