258 SWINE 



The advantages of a large hog house, then, as outlined, 

 are that it is serviceable, sanitary, convenient, and affords 

 safety both to the pigs that are farrowed as well as to the 

 attendant. It also supplies the conditions for handling 

 the pigs with the greatest ease, and for doing the greatest 

 amount of work with the smallest amount of labor. With 

 a large hog house also large pastures can be used ; hence 

 after the farm is fenced with hog fence into different 

 fields, these may be used in rotation for hog pastures, 

 which will at the same time save the scattered and lodged 

 grain and supply the pig with a sufficient amount of ex- 

 ercise to allow him to develop normally. Moreover, the 

 acquaintance maintained among the individuals of the 

 herd is of considerable advantage, as well as the fact that 

 the hogs are, when in the house, at all times visible to 

 the attendant. 



INDIVIDUAL HOG HOUSES. 



These buildings are frequently called cots and received 

 their name from the fact that they usually afford shelter 

 for a single sow with her litter similar to a single pen 

 of a large house. Such houses or cots are usually placed 

 in a small lot where the sow is put by herself to farrow. 

 The pigs after weaning time are still kept in the same lot 

 until grown to maturity. Such a practice has the ad- 

 vantage that individual sows are entirely isolated and 

 away from all disturbance. The pigs have a lot which 

 may be either large or small, but which will furnish exer- 

 cise and provide them a place to graze. Furthermore, 

 they may be compelled to take exercise by placing the cot 

 at the farther end of the lot and the feed trough in front. 

 Thus by going back and forth from the cot to the trough 

 they will be compelled to take exercise. If disease should 



