Care and Feeding of Sow and Litter 83 



the feed she will eat. According to actual records, sows 

 will lose an average of about 25 or 40 pounds during 

 the lactation period. This does not include the loss of 

 weight in farrowing. The heaviest milking sows are, fur- 

 thermore, the biggest eaters and the heaviest losers. Or- 

 dinarily, therefore, the amount fed should be regulated 

 by the appetite, just a little less being given than will 

 be taken at each feed. This will encourage a larger 

 feed consumption and result in cleaner troughs. In 

 every herd there are sometimes a few sows with only 

 two or three pigs. These sows usually employ their 

 feed for fat rather than the production of milk, and 

 when their pigs are about five weeks old, begin to take on 

 weight. Such sows should not be fed full rations, but an 

 amount that will about maintain their weight. Sows 

 that have large litters and are heavy milkers may be 

 fed three times a day with advantage. 



If the sow can be fed individually at this time, it will 

 not only be an aid to good feeding, but will insure more 

 uniformity in the pig crop. Two or three sows with pigs 

 of approximately the same age, however, may occupy 

 the same lot and be fed together with good results. The 

 practice of running the sows together with pigs of all 

 ages and sizes is the surest way to produce a large pro- 

 portion of runts. If it is necessary for several sows to 

 occupy the same quarters, those of the same tempera- 

 ment and with pigs of about the same age only should 

 be put together. 



The pig-creep. 



When two or three weeks old, the pigs begin to take an 

 interest in their mothers' rations. This interest should 

 be encouraged, for pigs of this age have the teeth and 



