542 THE COMPLETE GKAZIEB. BOOK v. 



to relieve the bowels and the bladder, and an attack of constipation 

 and inflammation may thus be avoided. In ordinary cases no 

 medicine is required, and, even if it is, only a very mild dose should 

 be given in the food of the sow. We generally give 2 ounces of 

 sulphur and one-sixth ounce of nitre ; a stronger dose than this often 

 causes diarrhoea in the little pigs. This very troublesome complaint 

 generally attacks the pigs when they are three to four weeks old, or 

 just about the time the suckers begin to feed. It is attributed to 

 indigestion, or inability of the little pigs to digest the food on which 

 the sow is fed. A gentle dose of medicine given to the sow as soon as 

 the faeces of the little pigs become unduly hard, or assume a resemblance 

 to peas, will often ward off the attack, which first shows itself in the 

 form of constipation. It is also advisable to reduce the quantity of the 

 food given to the sow for a day or two. We have found much benefit 

 derived from placing earth within the reach of the sow and her young ; 

 they will devour well nigh a shovelful of mould every few days. Coal, 

 or cinders, or hard wood ashes, should also be given to pigs of all ages 

 which are confined in sties, whilst a lump of rock salt will soon 

 disappear where a large number of pigs have ready access to it, and the 

 pigs will be greatly benefited. 



For the food of the suckling sow and her pigs, until the latter are ten 

 weeks old, nothing is better than sharps, or, as it is variously called, 

 fourths, ran-dan, hogsmeal, &c., with a very little broad bran added. 

 The little pigs may be weaned when they are from six to eight weeks 

 old ; in the autumn and winter they are best left with their dam for the 

 longer period. As soon as the youngsters begin to feed they will 

 highly appreciate a little skim-milk if placed within their reach, but it 

 must be so placed that the sow cannot obtain access to it. This may 

 be increased for a time after the pigs are weaned. 



When the pigs are about ten weeks old a little meal may be added 

 to the sharps, and this may be gradually increased until at five months 

 old the pigs' food consists mainly of meal, at which time six weeks' or 

 two months' liberal feeding should render the pig quite fit to kill, at a 

 weight of some eight scores or 160 Ib. of the finest pork possible, and of 

 the highest market value. If the pigs are of a really good strain, and 

 are fed on suitable food, they will readily give an increase of 1 Ib. of 

 meat for each 5 Ib. of meal consumed. We, of course, assume that the 

 sties in which the pigs are kept are fairly warm and free from draughts, 

 and that no abnormally cold spells of weather intervene. Until within 

 the last few years theorists were strongly in favour of cooking or 

 steaming the pigs' food, and they asserted that the pigs would then 

 consume a larger quantity of food, assimilate it more completely, and 

 give a greater proportionate return. Some few of our practical pig- 

 feeders did not hesitate to give expression to an exactly diverse 

 opinion on these points, and this view has been proved to be correct. 

 Experiments have been carefully carried out in various parts of North 

 America which have decisively proved that the cooking or steaming 

 of meal or corn given to the fatting pigs had exactly the opposite 



