SWINE 405 



suckling pigs, young shoats, and fattening hogs. Have 

 your father help you estimate the value of each group, and 

 compute the value of all. 



2. What different breeds are represented on your farm ? 

 Are the breeds pure or mixed? 



3. At what time of the year are the pigs farrowed ? At 

 what age are they weaned? At what age is fattening 

 started? Are the young pigs allowed the range of a pas- 

 ture? If so, what grass is used? What feed is used in 

 addition ? 



4. Feeding Hogs 



Hogs are probably the best money makers on the farm, 

 if properly handled. The same amount of feed will produce 

 a greater value of pork than any other meat. The returns 

 also come in sooner than with most other farm animals. 

 Money invested in hogs can be turned rapidly, as pigs are 

 marketable when eight months old. The yearly sales from 

 a herd of hogs should be from two to four times the orig- 

 inal investment. Much of the profit depends on intelli- 

 gent feeding. 



The feeding of pigs requires the consideration of three 

 stages in their development, (1) from farrowing to wean- 

 ing, ^2) from weaning to fattening, and (3) fattening for 

 market. 



Feeding young 1 pigs. Little pigs do not need any 

 food other than their mother's milk for the first two or 

 three weeks of their life. When they have reached this age, 

 they will begin to nibble on shelled corn. A little of this 

 should be fed them in a place outside the pen. By the time 

 they are from three to four weeks old, they may be fed 

 a small amount of skim-milk, in which has been mixed a 

 little ground feed, such as shorts. They should have a 

 trough of their own where it can not be reached by the 

 mother. 



