BREEDS OF SWINE 437 



It is well to watch the sows when they show signs of getting 

 ready to farrow and be at hand to assist them, in case they should 

 have difficulty. If the sow is very nervous, it is not wise to give her 

 too much attention, unless she has a troublesome case. Attention 

 sometimes does more harm than good during farrowing. It is a 

 good plan to handle the sow considerably before she farrows, so that 

 she will become accustomed to an attendant in the pen. If this is 

 done, the sow will be much less excitable if it is necessary to give 

 her some assistance or to care for the pigs. (N. D. B. 83.) 



If the sow has already farrowed a litter, and has been properly 

 fed and cared for during pregnancy, little difficulty may be ex- 

 pected. With young sows, particularly those bred at an immature 

 age, there is a considerable element of risk at this time, not only to 

 the pigs, but to the sow herself. 



The bedding of a sow at farrowing time should be sufficient 

 only for cleanliness and dryness. If furnished in large amount, the 

 pigs will burrow into it and get lost or be crushed. The best bed- 

 ding is rye straw and wheat straw, and if the straw is cut it makes 

 an almost ideal bed. Chaff is excellent if it can be obtained. Oat 

 straw is not so valuable. 



The management of sows during farrowing will depend largely 

 on the animal and on the weather conditions. Assistance should be 

 at hand if needed, but the sow should not be helped if she is getting 

 along nicely alone. Many pigs are lost annually by lack of atten- 

 tion during farrowing; but, on the other hand, there is no doubt 

 that in many cases overanxiety and too much attention may do 

 more harm than good and often result seriously. The assistance 

 that is imperative at this time is to help in cases of difficult labor 

 and to protect pigs from chilling in cold weather. The tempera- 

 ment of the sow should be considered ; some are plainly annoyed by 

 the presence of an attendant and show it in their nervous actions; 

 others may be positively ill natured and resent interference. Such 

 sows are better left alone during farrowing, and should be bred to 

 farrow when warm weather may be expected, so that the chances 

 are as much in favor of the pigs as possible. If the sow's nervous- 

 ness or ill nature leads her to eat her pigs, the best remedy is to put 

 her in the pork barrel at the earliest opportunity. 



When farrowing occurs during warm weather, a minimum 

 amount of attention will be needed. The pigs are less likely to 

 become chilled at this season and will generally find their way to the 

 teats unaided. Proper preliminary feeding of the sow and good 

 quarters will make the chance of trouble small. On the other hand, 

 if a sow farrows during extremely cold weather the pigs will be in 

 danger of being chilled unless the house is heated. To remedy this 

 some breeders throw a blanket over the sow until she is through. 

 Others place a few hot bricks or a hot soapstone in the bottom of a 

 basket or barrel, covering them with straw, and put a cloth over the 

 top to prevent too rapid radiation ; and, unless the sow objects too 

 seriously, the pigs are placed in this receptacle as fast as they arrive. 



