166 SWINE 



are favorable and if he has been properly trained, take 

 sufficient exercise to stimulate the various functions of 

 the animal body to their greatest usefulness. That is, 

 the pig under such conditions will be able to eat and di- 

 gest more, and will be able to use the digested material 

 to better advantage, than if such exercise were not taken. 

 The amount of exercise taken by pigs also is determined 

 very largely by various conditions and is also a matter of 

 training. It is thought that the principal means by which 

 exercise increases the development of the pig is that it in- 

 creases the amount of oxygen taken in and also stimu- 

 lates the digestive organs to better action. 



If a pig is kept in small "quarters" and cannot take the 

 necessary exercise, he will be likely to lie around a great 

 deal, and lying in the position that a pig naturally takes 

 when out of "order," namely, on his abdomen, inter- 

 feres greatly with proper respiration. This cuts off 

 to a large extent one important, if not the most im- 

 portant, food supply, namely, oxygen. .The pig under 

 such conditions, therefore, cannot utilize as much feed 

 as he could under conditions where plenty of exercise 

 is obtained, and cannot make as large or as econom- 

 ical gains. Furthermore, he will not be as healthy 

 and may very easily be overcome by diseases of various 

 kinds. 



If pigs are changed from lots where they have had con- 

 siderable exercise to lots where they do not have so much, 

 their feed must be correspondingly reduced. Hence they 

 will also make smaller and usually more expensive gains. 

 If the weather conditions are such, as for instance, when 

 it is very cold, that the pig does not take the usual 

 amount of exercise, the ration should also be reduced 

 correspondingly. Other conditions of environment may 

 also necessitate changes in rations. 



