18 BULLETIN 646, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



corn will be required. A corn ration of about 2 per cent of the sow's 

 live weight with good pasture makes a cheap and adequate supply. 



Care and feed of the young pigs : As soon as the little pigs begin to eat 

 they will do best if fed additional slop in a separate pen and away from 

 their mother and the larger pigs. This can be done by having a pen 

 or a lot where choice clover or other forage crop is growing to which 

 the pigs may have access, but where the opening is so small that the 

 larger pigs can not pass through. When the young pigs are from 8 

 to 10 weeks old they should be weaned. This often causes a serious 

 check in their growth, but should not do so. When it is desirable 

 to wean the pigs put the mother in a pen leaving a creep for the pigs. 

 Feed the sow sparingly: give water instead of slop and have the 

 grain ration dry. While the sow is receiving a maintenance ration 

 the pigs should be fed all they will consume without waste. A ration 

 consisting of such feeds as skim milk, middlings, corn, and green 

 forage will satisfy the pigs' appetites and simplify the weaning. 



Study questions. — What advantages are there in having sows far- 

 row during the early spring months I What precautions should be 

 taken to protect young pigs from severe weather ? Give directions 

 for the care of the sow after the arrival of the pigs. Give directions 

 for the care of the pigs until weaned: after weaning. 



References. — Farmers' Bulletins 874 and 566. Secure State agri- 

 cultural college publications on the subject. 



Practical exercises. — (1) Students who have home projects with 

 swine should secure a pig and begin to give it attention. If it is the 

 purpose of the boy to go into the work more extensively he should 

 have a sow and litter of pigs to care for. Observe instructions in 

 this lesson. 



(2) Boys in the class who are not carrying on projects with pigs 

 should assume responsibility for the care of a sow and litter of pigs 

 from the time the pigs arrive until they are weaned. 



Correlations. — Arithmetic: The entire expense in connection with 

 the project should be kept. In projects including a sow and litter 

 of pigs, the feed of the sow should be charged against the pigs until 

 the pigs are weaned. Cash accounting with the growing of the pigs 

 provides exercises in arithmetic. 



LESSON VIII. 



TOPIC: FORAGE CROPS. 



Time. — Spring. 



Lesson outline. — Importance: The successful and economical pro- 

 duction of pork depends in a large measure upon good permanent 

 pastures supplemented by other forage crops. There should be on an 

 average 1 acre of permanent pasture for each brood sow kept. Green 

 forage is little more than a maintenance ration, and if rapid gains are 

 desired hogs should have a liberal allowance of grain. Growing 



