Animal Castration 185 



CHAPTER III. 



SPAYING SOWS. 



Objects and Indications — The one and only beneficial result 

 of this operation is to facilitate growth, fattening, marketing and 

 slaughter without the handicap of early pregnancy. The economic 

 importance of sow spaying is well recognized by many swine 

 owners. Formerly the operation was more generally practiced 

 than it is at the present da) r . This may be accounted for by the 

 fact that what would have formerly been termed revolutionary 

 methods are now in vogue in the great swine-raising sections of 

 the Middle West and Central States in raising and marketing 

 hogs. This practice enables swine owners to grow, fatten and 

 market hogs as early as six to ten months of age, and is becom- 

 ing more universal each and every year. Of course under such 

 circumstances spaying would not be an essential operation. How- 

 ever, in the South and Southwest the older methods of swine- 

 raising still prevail to a limited degree, hence it is in this section 

 that the operation of spaying is still practiced to a limited extent. 



Age — The operation is best performed at four months. How- 

 ever, it is permissible to operate any time from sixt}^ days to ma- 

 turity, or even old age. 



Season — Sows should not be spayed during "fly time" or in 

 extremely cold weather. Best to operate in the fall, early winter 

 and spring. 



Preparation — One of the most important essentials to success 

 in spaying sows is to have the alimentary tract absolutely empty 

 before undertaking to operate. This can best be done by with- 

 holding the feed for from twenty-four to thirty hours previously. 

 During this time there is no special objection to allowing the ani- 

 mal free access to water. The danger of septic infection can be 

 greatly minimized by providing clean quarters before and after 

 operation. Another essential is to not allow the boar access to 

 the sows previous to spaying. It is not best to operate during the 



