504 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



with reasonable comfort, but not enough to turn around. The safety 

 of the pigs under such circumstances is said to be much greater 

 than when the sow is given all the space she cares to take. Provision 

 is made for the safety of the pigs by raising the walls of the pen 

 6 or 8 inches from the floor. Such a pen may be readily arranged 

 by placing the sow at one end of her pen and nailing boards across 

 so that she can not turn, leaving space for the pigs to slip under 

 the barrier. A number of patented farrowing pens are on the 

 market. (F. B. 205.) 



The farrowing quarters should be a pen with a hard smooth 

 clay floor, covered with a bushel or two of fine chaff. The next best 

 is a pine floor. Cement absorbs too much heat, and will chill the 

 young pigs. The projecting rail around the pen 6 inches from the 

 wall and 6 inches from the floor should prevent the mother from 

 smothering the pigs. (Mo. Cir. 28.) 



When hogs are not supplied with plenty of comfortable bed- 

 ding in cold weather, they pile on top of each other to keep warm. 

 In this way the under ones become heated, and when they get out 

 into the cold air are easily attacked by pneumonia and rheumatism. 

 If the attack is not sufficient to kill them, it makes them unthrifty. 

 It is best to allow only a limited number of hogs to sleep together, 

 and they should have such shelter and bedding that they can keep 

 warm without becoming heated. Bathing in cold water in irrigat- 

 ing ditches is likely to result in rheumatism. Hogs are more dis- 

 turbed by wind than any other farm animals. Their shelter should 

 thoroughly protect them from wind and from draughts. (Colo. B. 

 146.) 



Many farmers in this state use a straw covered shed in which 

 to shelter their brood sows. This proves very successful. We have 

 used one with good results at this experiment station. Where straw 

 is so abundant such a shed is very easily made. It is well, however, 

 to use considerable care in order to construct a frame work which 

 will support the straw placed over it. Cases have been known where 

 they have "caved in" from the weight of the straw over them and 

 the pigs have been smothered. The shed was made so that it is very 

 convenient. The frame was made high enough to enable one to 

 walk erect with ease in it. The openings in front were provided 

 with doors and an old window was inserted on the front side to fur- 

 nish light. The expense of equipping a shed in this manner that 

 will do to raise a pig crop successfully requires very little expenditure 

 of money. (N. D. Bui. 83.) 



In the South, the far South especially, very little shelter is 

 needed except at farrowing time. There is no occasion for expen- 

 sively constructed buildings. Of course, at farrowing time the 

 mother should always be supplied with a building that will afford 

 shelter from the rain and the wind for both the mother and the 

 pigs until the pigs become dry. If the wind strikes the young pigs 

 when they are first born they will often chill to death. Each farmer 

 can make his own shelter, to be in keeping with his surroundings, 

 but probably the best and most economical building that can be made 



