CHAPTER XV 



FEEDING FOR MARKET 



The matter of feeding hogs for breeders has been touched on in 

 this book in another chapter, but it would be well to say something 

 along the line of feeding hogs for market. It is the general cus- 

 tom where hogs are fed for market to run them together in larger 

 numbers than where they are fed for breeding purposes only, and 

 for this reason the system of feeding may be a little different. 



In growing hogs for market it is quite important that the litters 

 come as nearly at the same time in the early spring as it is possible 

 to have them, that they may be uniform in size when the market- 

 able age arrives. These pigs should be fed lightly while suckling 

 the sows and not weaned any earlier than ten to twelve weeks old 

 that they may be well on in the process of feeding, and after wean- 

 ing should be placed in a first-class pasture where the grass is fresh, 

 thick and green. Clover of course is one of the early things. Pos- 

 sibly the fall sown rye should come on first ; a pasture of this would 

 be a grand place to start the pigs after weaning. They should, 

 however, have a good ration of some kind of flesh producing feed, 

 grains that are produced on the farm if possible, adding to this as 

 they develop some shelled corn soaked for about 12 to 14 hours; 

 enough to keep them growing and developing at a rapid rate. 



After the rye pasture then a choice clover pasture or alfalfa 

 which is still better. Later a field of rape sown early enough so that 

 it will be several inches high before the pigs are turned into it. 

 This would furnish them a very satisfactory green feed for the bal- 

 ance of the season, or until time to begin feeding green corn of some 

 kind, preferably from a field of evergreen sweet corn, which when 

 planted in the northern country, would be ready the 1st of August. 

 This is a great feed to put on growth and flesh but should be fed 

 with great care until the pigs become used to it, as it is apt to scour 

 them if fed too liberally at first. This will last until the field corn 

 is in good condition to commence feeding. 



Ill-Effects of Overfeeding. I am practically sure that much of 

 our so-called hog cholera in the early months of the fall or late 

 summer, is nothing more than a condition brought about by over- 

 feeding green corn when it is in the roasting ear stage. Pigs that 

 have been fed possibly on scant feed during the summer and that 

 are in rather thin condition would, if given too much green corn in 

 its early stage eat much more than they could properly digest, 

 bringing about a condition that leaves the pigs ready to take any 

 disease that comes along. If they are troubled with worms at this 

 time, and the worms are not expelled, they will die about as fast as 

 if they had the cholera. 



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