Care op Pigs. 69 



weather is not too hot it would be better to mix it ten or 

 twelve hours before feeding, or so that it would soak after 

 morning feeding time until the evening feed, and vice versa. 

 If it is desired to feed three times a day, the noon feed 

 ■could Weill be made up of shelled com soaked at least 

 twenty-four hours, or until the kernels become softened. 

 Eemember always to use the liquid or water from the 

 soaked corn to help in mixing the slop feed, as there is a 

 large amount of nutriment in water from soaked corn. It 

 has been said that " it is to a pig what beer is to a Dutch- ' 

 man." Some feeders use ear corn for soaking, but I have 

 never liked to feed wet ears of com, much preferring to 

 shell it and soak as above. Above all, feed only clean, 

 «orn. 



Here let me mention again the matter of clean, fresh 

 water never being neglected. 



In addition to the feeding and watering, there are other 

 little attentions that must not be overlooked. The pigs 

 should, if possible, have a shallow cement pool that could 

 be used as a wallow, and it should be so made that the 

 water can be changed every day or two. By having this 

 . kind of a wallow, and adding a good disinfectant and a 

 little crude oil poured on the water, the skin of the pigs 

 will be kept in perfect condition, without any danger of 

 skin disease or eruption. 



Where one is not prepared to place these clear water 

 pools or wallows, he should have a dipping tank. A 

 dipping tank certainly gets the dip and oil on every part 

 of the body, for the animals have to plunge or slide down 

 the chute into the dipping tank, which thoroughly immerses 

 them. 



One great trouble is that the pigs are not run through 

 the dip as often as they should be. Once every week 

 in warm weather is none too often if there are any lice or 

 indications of skin trouble. After they once become en- 

 tirely free from all such troubles, once every two to four 

 weeks will do. 



If, however, there are lice on the pigs, a good quality of 

 crude oil should be added to the dip, and the sleeping quar- 

 ters carefully looked after. It would be useless to dip a 

 drove of lousy pigs and allow them to return to an infected 



