FEEDING. J 



PIGS, 



[feedikq. 



themselves are in the habit of regaling on the 

 choicest morsels, can we wonder that they 

 should fancy the less dainty portions of the 

 same old carrion good enough for hogs ? In 

 the yards attached to many of the continental 

 schools of veterinary science, a similar, but, if 

 possible, more disgusting spectacle is con- 

 stantly to be witnessed. "While such a practice 

 is tolerated, with what caution should we not 

 purchase bacon or pork, lest we should thus 

 eat, at second-hand, of substances so revolting 

 to the feelings, so dangerous to individual and 

 public health ! Whether knackers should be 

 permitted to keep swine at all, is, indeed, a 

 question ; for, without an express prohibition 

 to that effect, issued by the higher powers, I 

 do not see how the evils of which I have spoken 

 could possibly be removed. Chandler's greaves 

 are likewise objectionable as food for swine, 

 unless given in comparatively small quantities, 

 and mixed with bran- meal and boiled roots. 

 If fed wholly on either greaves or oil-cake, 

 or flax-seed, the flesh becomes loose, unsub- 

 stantial, and carriony, and gives out a flavour 

 resembling that of rancid oil." 



Pigs that have been fed chiefly on corn, al- 

 ternately with the vegetable diet, yield pork 

 nearly equal in delicacy of flavour, whiteness of 

 colour, and consequent value, to that well- 

 known delicious article, dairy pork. "When 

 swine are not of very large size, and it is de- 

 sirable to raise pork rather than bacon, a very 

 economical mode of feeding may be advantage- 

 ously adopted. It consists of equal parts of 

 boiled Swedish turnips and bran. If it be de- 

 sirable to render the accumulation of fat a little 

 more rapid, let oatmeal be substituted for bran. 



"We have more than once spoken of the great 

 requisite of cleanliness to the well-being of 

 pigs. A hog washed weekly with soap and a 

 brush, will be found to thrive, and take on flesh 

 in a ratio of at least five to three, in compari- 

 son with one not so treated. This has been 

 proved. There can be no possible question 

 about its correctness ; and, as it is not a very 

 difficult operation, neither involving a great 

 deal of time or much cost, it should be attended 

 to. Surfeiting hogs is an evil as well as starv- 

 ing them. Illustrative of this, the following 

 anecdote is adduced by Mr. jNIoubray : — " Pour 

 or five-and-twenty years ago, the late Mr. Tat- 

 tersall requested of me to choose him a store- 

 78i 



pig, to put up for fattening. I applied to Mr. 

 Wyat, the then salesman, and we chose one at 

 Pinchley, out of a fine drove of Serefords, not 

 then out of fashion. After the hog had been 

 at Mr. Tattersall's two or three days, I re- 

 ceived a letter from him, to tell me it was taken 

 very bad — in fact, dying/ On inspection, I 

 found the animal sleepy and torpid, refusing 

 food, but occasionally throwing up the contents 

 of its stomach, which consisted of half-digested 

 meal. I immediately perceived the cause of 

 the patient's malady. The feeder, determined 

 to lose no time, had been assiduously filling 

 the trough with food. The hog being empty, 

 after a long journey, voraciously devoured it, 

 until its stomach was filled, and its digestive 

 organs totally overpowered. My prescription 

 was, abstinence from corn, a moderate quantity 

 of sweet grains, thin wash, and sulphur with it : 

 in a few hours the hog was perfectly recovered. 

 In the sequel, the feeder held up his hands with 

 astonishment at the possibility of a hog being 

 gorged with food." 



Many examples might be given of the great 

 weight attained by pigs, when they have 

 been skilfully fed and properly attended to. 

 A Mrs. Snarbrich, of Naseby, is instanced as 

 having fed a pig, which, eight weeks before she 

 was publicly noticed, farrowed nine fine young 

 pigs, which were sold in Garstang market for 

 £7, being five weeks old, and this her second 

 litter. The former litter realised the same 

 sum ; and, when slaughtered, the sow weighed 

 thirty-four score, which realised, at 85. per 

 score, £13 125.; which, by adding the £14 

 for the two litters of pigs, makes the value of 

 this pig amount to £27 12^. This was a 

 profit of more value than could be made from 

 a fat cow in the same neighbourhood. 



The following was the mode of feeding 

 adopted : — " Profit was the great object of the 

 feeder of the pig slaughtered by Mr. Eccleston, 

 of Garstang; and it would have well repaid 

 keeping for a few weeks longer ; but Lent being 

 at hand was the reason why it was not kept. 

 Here, in this experiment, is a clear proof that it 

 is better to keep pigs more than one year for 

 profit ; and it is well known that there is little 

 gained by feeding an old sow. The food of this 

 pig had been principally whey, as in this neigh- 

 bourhood there are large quantities of cheese 

 made, and the whey is excellent both for pigs 



