ARID AGRICULTURE. 341 



Sometimes milking quality is an inherited char- 

 acter in the breed, but it may often be aided and 

 improved by proper feed and care. Animals 

 carrying young should be fed nitrogenous and 

 succulent feed. Where mill feeds can be ob- 

 tained bran and shorts are usually recommended. 

 Good grains to feed bearing ewes or cows are 

 barley or spelt. Oats are a most excellent feed 

 for breeding horses, cows, sheep, or swine. Some 

 swine breeders use oats very freely to feed their 

 brood sows. Succulent roots are good. Care 

 must be taken not to feed too heavily of sugar 

 beets to cows in calf, as it may cause paralysis 

 and abortion, and over-feeding with beets tends 

 to dry up the milk flow. Animals carrying 

 young should be kept in good condition, but 

 should not be fed heating or fattening rations. 



Animals about to give birth to young, unless 

 on the range, should be given good, roomy, dry 

 and comfortable quarters in box stalls or yards. 



Sows should have a house so constructed that 

 the mothers are prevented from lying down on 

 the pigs. An "A" pig house is good. The nest 

 may be provided with a two by six-inch plank 

 projecting around the edges and placed six or 

 seven inches from the floor. The little pigs may 

 be pushed or squeezed under this guard without 

 killing or injuring them. Sows sometimes de- 

 vour their young. This is usually due to im- 

 proper feeding with heating or fattening foods 



