Handling of the Herd Boak. 37 



During the breeding season the herd boar should be well 

 fed and receive plenty of exercise. If the lot where the boar 

 or boars are kept, is where they can see the sows, even 

 though at some little distance, it will, generally speaking, 

 cause them to take plenty of exercise walking up and down 

 the lot along the fence, especially during the breeding sea- 

 son. 



If they do not take this exercise it will be necessary to 

 exercise them by driving, for they must be kept in prime 

 vigor and perfect condition. It is never wise to use a boar 

 just after being fed; better use him early in the morning 

 before being fed, and after a short walk, so as to allow him 

 an opportunity to empty out both bowel and bladder. Dur- 

 ing the heavy breeding season he can again be used toward 

 evening after a little exercise and before feeding for the 

 night. 



Where one has only a few sows to breed, I believe it the 

 best plan to keep the boar in a separate lot from the sows 

 and' use as just noted. However, on some farms where a 

 large nimiber of sows are to be bred, a matured boar can 

 be turned in the same lot with ten to fifteen sows and the 

 feeder should carefully note sows in season and mark down 

 the date the same as he would if the sow was taken to the 

 boar. In this way it is possible to keep a close record of 

 breeding dates and every sow will doubtless be gotten 

 safely with pig without injuring the boar. Care must be 

 taken not to turn a young boar in with a large bunch of 

 old sows, and if your boar frets under this treatment and 

 is getting out of condition it would be wise to put him by 

 himself, feed him well and take the sows to him. Judgment 

 must be used in matters of this kind, as it is the little things 

 that are often most important and have much to do with 

 the success or failure of swine breeding. 



While the herd boar should not be overloaded with fat, 

 he should be in a reasonably strong fleshy condition, the 

 result of proper feeding along lines that will not produce 

 too much fat or white meat. A muscle-producing-feed 

 should be used, such as middlings, oats, peas, barley, a little 

 corn and tankage, etc. Use a variety of feeds, with of 

 course what grass he will eat, or other succulent feed 

 such as should be found on every farm. 



