Care and Feeding of Sow and Litter 81 



Feeding. 



After the sow is on full feed, the best ration to give her 

 is the one which is cheapest and most productive of a 

 large milk flow. The importance of feeding a ration that 

 is stimulating to milk production is so great, however, 

 that balance should not be sacrificed to economy. A 

 ration of straight corn would be cheap and convenient, 

 but ruinous to the prospects of a generous flow of milk. 

 The amount of milk a sow gives determines the rate of 

 development of her pigs during these weeks. Further- 

 more, the cheapest gains which the pig will ever make are 

 at this time. The mother's milk is an ideal food for the 

 young pigs, and it is a matter of economy and good judg- 

 ment to feed so as to stimulate the largest production. 



The sow in milk should be fed very much the same 

 kind of ration as the cow in milk. Feeds containing 

 a sufficient supply of protein and mineral matter are 

 necessary because milk is a muscle and bone-forming 

 food. The ration at this time should be more concen- 

 trated and contain less fattening foods than the one used 

 during the winter. A large proportion of bulky feeds 

 would mean the exclusion of the necessary nutrients. 

 Practically full rations should be fed, also, for the first 

 six weeks. The usual home-grown grains, corn espe- 

 cially, do not contain enough protein and mineral matter 

 to make satisfactory rations. Consequently, use must 

 be made of some one of such feeds as tankage or meat- 

 meal, linseed-oil meal, shorts or middlings, skim-milk or 

 buttermilk. The cheapest, according to price and com- 

 position, should be utilized. 



The following combinations are examples of good 

 rations. They suggest about the proportions, by weight, 



