CHAPTER SEVEN. 



HANDLING OF THE HERD BOAR. 



The disposition and good behavior of the herd boar de- 

 pends much on how he is handled from pighood to maturity. 



Docility is a great thing in a herd boar and he should be 

 so handled that he will never cause any trouble in being 

 driven from place to place. Kindness has much to do with 

 this. The herdsman or owner should never under any con- 

 sideration misuse the boar, but handle him with a light 

 buggy whip and have him so trained that he can be driven 

 as easily as a horse can be led. This training should com- 

 mence when the pig is young, and by rubbing him a little at 

 feeding time, he will become extremely gentle and look for 

 these attentions, and as he grows up under this kind of treat- 

 ment, will become a good natured, quiet, easily handled 

 l')oar, and it will not require two or three men with a hurdle 

 to bring him out of his yard to be used. 



He should always be kept in a substantially fenced 3'ard, 

 with grass to graze on at will, a dry place to sleep in that 

 is warm enough for comfort in winter months, and nice 

 shade to lie under during the hot weather. 



Where one has a large herd and keeps scxeral matured 

 herd boars, they can be so handled that they will run to- 

 gether like a bunch of barrows. This can be done !)>' cutting 

 off the tusks very closely, then on a cool day, turn them all 

 together after thoroughly spraying them with good coal tar 

 disinfectant, and stay with them until they have had 

 their fight out at least once or twice, and the boss has been 

 recognized, after which they will let each other alone. We 

 did this recently with five aged herd boars, and by having 

 their tusks closely cut and smooth, they could not make any 

 scratches or cuts in their fight and after several good tus- 

 sels they gave it up and afterwards fed together along the- 

 trough in perfect harmony. 



