CHAPTER XXXIII. 

 SANITATION. 



THE HOG is a difficult animal to treat when attacked by 

 disease, and hence the breeder must adopt every means within 

 his power to prevent disease from entering the herd. One can 

 never be too careful in this matter, and the proverb " An ounce 

 of prevention is worth a pound of cure " is especially applicable 

 in the management of swine. 



Cleanliness. Filth is an excellent harbor and breeding 

 ground for disease germs. Care should be taken to have the 

 pens cleaned frequently, and the pens should be so constructed 

 that there are no places for filth to accumulate where it cannot 

 be cleaned out. Water-tight floors with as few cracks and 

 corners as possible, together with adequate drainage, are im- 

 portant in a piggery. 



Disinfection. Every swine breeder or feeder should 

 acquire the habit of using disinfectants freely. There are 

 numerous proprietary or patent disinfectants upon the market, 

 and, so far as the writer is aware, the well-known ones are 

 quite effective if used according to the directions accompanying 

 them. Crude carbolic acid and creolin are excellent disin- 

 fectants. A five per cent, solution of either, or five parts of the 

 disinfectant to one hundred parts of water, will be found 

 effective for disinfecting pens. Chloride of lime is also good, 

 and is especially recommended by some for pens where cholera 

 has existed. Five or six ounces of chloride of lime to a gallon 

 of water makes an effective disinfectant. 



In case of disease, all bedding and manure should be 

 removed and burned. Loose boards or planks should also be 



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