202 SWINE 



of cheaper feeds, such as the carbonaceous feeds. In 

 addition to this, however, the feed for the boar must be 

 varied to some extent in accordance with circumstances. 

 As previously stated, the amount of protein that an 

 animal requires is practically the same during periods of 

 work as during periods of idleness. Consequently an 

 animal needs more carbohydrate when mechanical work 

 is being done than is necessary during periods when no 

 such work is being done. The boar, however, during the 

 breeding season may need a little more protein to supply 

 the glands that secrete the spermatic fluid than during 

 other seasons, as well as more carbohydrate to furnish 

 the energy required at this time. 



FEEDING THE PIGS BEFORE WEANING. 



The system of feeding as outlined in Chapter 13 starts 

 with the pig at weaning time and takes him to eight 

 months of age, when he is in prime condition for market. 

 The amount of gain made by the pig during this period, 

 as well as the cost of the gains, depends in a great meas- 

 ure upon the way the pig was fed before weaning or 

 during the time he was still with his dam. 



A pig in general will learn to eat at about four or five 

 weeks of age. As a rule pigs are not weaned until they 

 are eight, and many times not until twelve weeks old. 

 Thus it is seen that the pig is being fed for a considerable 

 length of time when he is still with his dam. This is a 

 period in the life of the pig that must be very carefully 

 guarded so as not to over-feed him. As learned pre- 

 viously, the ordinary hog eats relatively a smaller quan- 

 tity of feed as he gets older. Consequently a very young 

 pig, during the period of lactation of its dam, will eat 

 more than it does after weaning time. Thus it is seen 



