222 SWINE 



the litter should be provided with some means of obtain- 

 ing exercise. One way of doing this, especially with 

 breeders of pure bred hogs, is to put the sow and her lit- 

 ter into a pasture by themselves. If the season is favora- 

 ble, considerable exercise will be taken. Under ordinary 

 farm conditions, however, pastures are not numerous 

 enough to allow each sow and litter to have one by them- 

 selves, consequently a larger number must be allowed to 

 run together. If in such cases the sow is kept confined 

 with her litter during the first two weeks after farrowing, 

 no great harm will result from the lack of exercise and 

 the pigs will become acquainted with their dam so that 

 after this the entire family may be let out in company 

 with others and experience no serious difficulty. This 

 would be true especially if the sow as well as the sow and 

 litter combined were properly fed. If sows with their lit- 

 ters are let out too soon in company with others, and if 

 they are not well enough fed, the pigs may run about and 

 do considerable robbing ; that is, the pigs of one sow that 

 do not get sufficient milk will rob the pigs of another 

 sow. Naturally the older and larger pigs will rob the 

 younger and smaller ones. / 



BLACK TEETH. 



Very often when pigs are farrowed they have what is 

 called black teeth that is, two long black teeth on each 

 side of the upper and lower jaws respectively. As soon 

 as the pigs are farrowed and take their place at the udder, 

 they sometimes do considerable fighting, each pig striv- 

 ing to get the best teat. In so doing they may strike each 

 other and start trouble by making sores on their jaws 

 which collect dirt and disease germs, causing inflamma- 

 tion. At other times they injure the udder of the sow to 



