BREEDS OF SWINE 489 



up an average-sized litter in this way, the mother must be fed lib- 

 erally. The mother and the pasture should be depended upon to 

 furnish the greater part of the feed for the small pig. (F. B. 411.) 



About one-half pound of shorts mixed with one or two quarts 

 of skim milk, will make an excellent ration. Feed it in a small pen 

 apart from the sow. Start with a small quantity, and increase as 

 fast as the pigs will eat it. Wean the pigs at seven to eight weeks 

 old. Remove two of the strongest pigs the first day, in two or three 

 days the next two most vigorous, and so continue till all are removed. 

 Such a method will tend to dry up the milk of the sow, thus avoid- 

 ing trouble from that cause. (Utah B. 94.) 



The appetite for something besides the dam's milk may begin 

 to assert itself by the time the pigs reach three weeks of age. This 

 time will vary, of course, some pigs being more precocious than 

 others. They will be noticed nibbling at grass, rooting a little, and 

 even investigating the sow's feed. A pen should be arranged adjoin- 

 ing that of the dam and separated from it by a partition, with suf- 

 ficient room at the bottom to allow the pigs to run under. In this 

 inclosure put a low, shallow trough and place in it a little skim milk 

 or a thin gruel similar to that recommended for the sow the first 

 day after farrowing. This gruel may be made with any concentrate 

 that is free from woody matter. If ground barley or oats is fed the 

 meal should be first sifted to remove the hulls. There is a great va- 

 riety of feeding stuffs that can be used. The main point to be ob- 

 served is that the pig's stomach is very easily deranged at this age 

 and feeds must be given that will digest readily. The trough in 

 which the pigs are fed should be kept clean. No stale feed should be 

 allowed to remain in it from one feed to the next. 



As the pigs learn to eat the feed may be increased. Skim milk 

 should be used liberally, using rather large quantities at first from 

 6 to 12 pounds of milk to each .pound of gram. During this period 

 comparatively little corn should be fed, as a rule. More growth can 

 be obtained with a narrow ration, and the corn should be withheld 

 until the fattening period comes. The pigs should be kept growing 

 constantly, and the best results will come with feeding a little under 

 their capacity rather than all they can consume. To counteract the 

 tendency to become too fat they should have plenty of exercise. 



Scours and thumps often cause very serious losses among young 

 pigs. The former is caused usually by overfeeding, by feeding 

 badly spoiled feed, by an abrupt change of feed, or by a change in 

 the feed of the dam that affects her milk. Thumps is generally 

 caused by overfeeding and lack of exercise. (F. B. 205.) 



Make a creep for the pigs, and in a low trough supply a thin 

 slop made of 2 parts corn, 3 parts shorts stirred in milk. Forcing a 

 pig to eat from a high trough may produce a weak and sway back. 

 (Mo. Cir. 28.) 



The following ration is especially useful for feeding small pigs 

 during a short period just before and after the weaning time. When 

 supplemented with warm skim milk, young pigs take to it very 

 readily. If it is desired to wean pip 5 early, in order to breed for fall 



