FEEDING BACON PIGS 271 



potatoes make the flesh lacking in firmness, and the 

 proportion -of fat to lean meat too high. The liquid 

 part of ration should gradually be reduced so as to get 

 the increase of a much drier nature before the animal 

 is killed. After two to three months of fattening (say, 

 six months old) the pig will be 150 Ibs. to 170 Ibs. 

 carcass weight. 



In Wiltshire, J gall, of raw linseed oil per day is 

 added for every sixty-four pigs, in the food, in order 

 to keep their bowels in order. 



In Berkshire it is a common practice to sour the 

 food (i.e. soak it for a few hours until it begins to 

 ferment) before feeding to the pigs, the idea being that 

 the pigs fatten better and are less liable to suffer from 

 costiveness. 



Buying Stores. In Wiltshire, store pigs are usually 

 bought when they are about four months old, or a live 

 weight of 90 to 140 Ibs. These are fed for seven to 

 fourteen weeks on such a ration as separated milk, 

 barley meal, and boiled potatoes, and killed off fat at 

 a live weight of 133 to 236 Ibs. These may increase 

 in live weight at the rate of 2 Ibs. or over per head 

 per day. 



In " winter " the roots given will consist of boiled 

 potatoes, pulped mangels, swedes, or turnips, and 

 chopped cabbages ; while in " summer " the succulent 

 food will be derived from grass, green vetches, and 

 other forage crops. Both in summer and winter 

 economy should be studied, and any by-products made 

 use of. There are many foods on a farm which are 

 most useful for fattening purposes, although their 

 market value is not high e.g., " tail " corn (cereal grains), 

 small and brown potatoes, green forage crops, skim 

 milk, buttermilk, house wash, and whey. 





