Book IV. 



BUILDINGS FOR LIVE STOCK. 



447 



are, that the calves are all kept separate in a small compass, and cannot hurt each other, 

 as the stronger ones sometimes do the weaker when confined promiscuously, and their 

 food may be much more easily and equally distributed. 



2836 The calf-pens in Gloucestershire, Marshal observes, are of an admirable construction ; extremely 

 simple, yet singularly well adapted to the object. Young calves, fattening calves more especially, require 

 to be kept narrowly confined : quietness is, in a degree, essential to their thriving A loose pen, or a 

 Ion" halter gives freedom to their natural fears, and a loose to their playfulness Cleanliness, and a due 

 degree of warmth, are likewise requisite in the right management of calves. A pen which holds seven, 

 or occasionally eight, calves, is of the following description : — The house, or roomstead, in which it is 

 placed, measures twelve feet by eight : four feet of its width are occupied by the stage, and one foot 

 by a trough placed on its front ; leaving three feet as a gangway, into the middle ot which the door 

 opens The floor of the stage is formed of laths, about two inches square, lying the long way of the 

 stage and one inch asunder. The front fence is of staves, an inch and a half in diameter, nine 

 inches from middle to middle, and three feet high ; entered at the bottom into the front bearer of 

 the floor (from which cross-joists pass into the back wall), and steadied at the top by a rail ; which, as well 

 as the bottom piece, is entered at each end into the end wall. The holes in the upper rail are wide enough 

 to permit the staves to be lifted up and taken out, to give admission to the calves ; one ot which is fastened 

 to every second stave, by means of two rings of iron joined by a swivel; one ring playing upon the stave, 

 the other receiving a broad leathern collar buckled round the neck of the calf. The trough is for 

 barley-meal chalk, &c. and to rest the pails on. Two calves drink out of one pail, putting their heads 

 through between the staves. The height of the floor of the stage from the floor ot the room is about one 

 foot It is thought to be wrong to hang it higher, lest, by the wind drawing under it, the calves should be 

 too cold in severe weather : this, however, might be easily prevented by litter or long strawy dung thrust 

 beneath it. It is observable, that these stages are fit only for calves which are fed with the pail, not lor 

 calves which suck the cow. .... 



2837. Hogslies, for the breeding or fattening of swine, are mostly built in a simple 

 manner, requiring only warm dry places for the swine to lie in, with small areas before, 

 and troughs to hold their food. They are generally constructed with shed-roofs, and 

 seldom above six or seven feet wide, with height in proportion. In order that they may 

 be convenient, they should be at no great distance from the house ; and the less they 

 are connected with the other farm-buildings the better. In some cases, it might be of 

 utility to have them connected with the scullery, in such a way as that all sorts of refuse 

 articles might be readily conveyed to them by pipes or other contrivances. When at a 

 distance, they should be so placed as that the servants need not enter the farm-yard in 

 feeding them. It is a circumstance of vast advantage in the economy of labour, as well 

 as of food, to have them conveniently situated and built. Though swine are generally, 

 perhaps from a too partial view of their habits, considered as filthy animals, there are no 

 animals which delight more in a clean and comfortable place to lie down in, and none 

 that cleanliness has a better effect upon with respect to their thriving and feeding. In order 

 to keep them dry, a sufficient slope must be given, not only to the inside places where they 

 are to lie, but to the outside areas, with proper drains to carry oft" all moisture. The 

 outsides should also be a little elevated, and have steps up from the areas of at least five 

 or six inches in height. Hogsties should likewise have several divisions, to keep the 

 different sorts of swine separate ; nor should a great many ever be allowed to go together ; 

 for it is found that they feed better in small numbers and of equal size, than when many 

 of unequal sizes are put together. Proper divisions must, therefore, be made : some for 

 swine when with the boar ; others for brood swine, and for them to farrow in ; for 

 weaning the pigs, for keeping the store pigs, for fattening, &c. When convenient, the 

 areas should be pretty large ; and where it can be had, it is of great use to have water 

 conveyed to them, as it serves many useful purposes. 



2838. Every sty should have a ruhbing-pnst. " Having occasion," says Marshal, " to shift two hogs out 

 of a sty without one, into another with a post, accidentally put up to support the roof, he had a lull 

 opportunity of observing its use. The animals, when tliev went in, were dirty, with broken ragged coats, 

 and with dull heavy countenances. In a few days, they cleared away their coats, cleaned their skins, 

 and became sleeky haired ; the enjoyments of the post were discernible even in their looks, in their live- 

 liness, and apparent contentment. It is not probable, that any animal should thrive while afflicted with 

 pain or uneasiness. Graziers suffer singletrees to grow, or put up dead posts in the ground, for their 

 cattle to rub themselves against ; vet it is probable that a rubbing-post has never been placed intentionally 

 in a sty • though, perhaps, for a two-fold reason, rubbing is most requisite to swine." In farm-yards the 

 piggeries and poultrv-houses generally occupy the south side of the area, in low buildings, which may be 

 overlooked from the' farmer's dwelling-house. They should open behind into the straw-yards or dung- 

 heap, to allow the hogs and fowls to pick up the corn left on the 

 straw, or what turnips, clover, or other matters are refused by the 

 cattle. They should have openings outwards, that the pigs may 

 be let out to range round the farmery at convenient times ; and 

 that the poultry may have ingress and egress from that side as well 

 as the other. 



2839. The pig-hovsc at Barley's dairy establishment (Jig. 411. > 

 consisted of a number of sties separated from each other by 

 a nine-inch wall : each sty consisted of two apartments ; one 

 for exercise, which was open above (a), and the other for feeding 

 in which was covered (It) ; and a third, also covered, for sleeping 

 in'(c). The threshold of the opening to the sleeping apartment 

 was formed bv a cast-iron trough kept full of water (rf), through 

 which the pigs being obliged to pass when they went to sleep, it is 

 said their feet were washed, and their litter kept clean. The water 

 in these troughs was supplied by a pipe at one end, and each 

 separate tank had a waste pipe. The floor of the sleeping ) lace 

 was a few inches higher than that of the feeding apartment; nod 

 the floor of the latter, and also of the open area, were inclined 



414 



.—I: 



'<g" 



tow 

 a i 



wards the middle (e), under which was a sewer with filtering plates for the urine to pass through ; 

 id at the end of the sewer a tank (/) received the whole. {Harleian Dairy System, p. 122.J 



