FEEDING AND CARE OF SWINE 



355 



ment of their bodies but also for the development of the unborn young ; 

 and (2) to see that they have plenty of exercise. 



Where sows raise but one litter of pigs a year, they need little or no 

 concentrates in summer after their litters are weaned, provided they 

 run on first class pasture, such as alfalfa, clover, or rape. Enough 

 grain should be fed to keep the sows in thrifty condition, and in any 

 event they should get some grain for several weeks before farrowing. 

 On protein-rich pasture the concentrates should be mostly carbo- 

 naceous in character, such as corn, wheat, barley, kafir and milo, with 



Fig. 100. — Colony Houses Banked with Straw for Winter 



Colony houses thus protected provide comfortable winter quarters for all but 

 small pigs, even in the northern states. 



enough protein-rich concentrates to balance the ration. Where sows 

 raise two litters a year they will require more feed, due to the added 

 draft on their bodies. 



In winter the sows should be kept strong and thrifty by feeding 

 a ration containing plenty of protein and mineral matter. The amount 

 should be limited so they will not become too fat, but on the other 

 hand they .must not be allowed to grow thin. If rich concentrates 

 only are given and the animals not overfed, the feed allowance will 

 not have enough bulk to distend the stomach and intestines properly, 

 and this leaves the animals unsatisfied, restless, and quarrelsome. To 

 correct this trouble and because such feed is both cheap and whole- 



