304 PRODUCTIVE FARMING 



promptly wipe out his nostrils and mouth; pull the tongue forward, 

 press a time or two on his ribs to induce breathing. Try blowing air into 

 his lungs. He should revive in a moment, if at all. 



When pigs are about a day old look for needle teeth 

 at fore corners of each jaw. If they are prominent remove 

 them with a pair of pliers to prevent them from causing sores 

 in their own mouths and from injuring their mother and 

 other pigs. 



Feeding the Sow and Litter. If good pasturage is pro- 

 vided, the sow and litter should be fed a wet mash of wheat 

 middlings, gluten meal, or similar meal rich in protein. 

 This should be made into a thin mash by mixing with butter- 

 milk, skim milk, whey or warm water. It need not soak for 

 more than a few hours. Corn is not a good feed for a sow and 

 her litter. It is too rich in starchy matter, called carbo- 

 hydrate. When the pigs are a few weeks of age they should 

 be able to eat wet mash and drink milk from a trough. Pro- 

 vide a place for them to have a trough of their own and give 

 them skim milk with a little middlings and meal added to it. 

 Such a pig creep may be made in one corner of the lot. This 

 feeding will help them and save the mother. Runts of the 

 litter will thus have a better chance than before. This plan 

 will gradually make pigs so independent of their mother that 

 weaning has very little effect on them or their mother. If 

 weather will not permit them to feed on pasture, supply them 

 with turnips or other roots. 



Water. Running water, or other good fresh water should 

 be provided, besides the slop furnished them. Do not depend 

 on stagnant pools of water for your swine if you expect them 

 to be thrifty. 



Mineral Matter. It is well to supply legumes, bran and 

 other feeds rich in mineral matter, for growing swine; but in 

 addition to such feeds, they should be supplied with a good 

 mixture of such materials as the following, for the minerals 

 they contain: 



