CHAPTEE SEVENTEEN. 



FEEDING HOGS FOR MARKET. 



The matter of feeding hogs for breeders has been touch- 

 ed on in this book in another chapter, but it would be well 

 to say something along the line of feeding hogs for market. 

 It is the general custom where hogs are fed for market 

 to run them together in larger numbers than where they 

 are fed for breeding purposes only, and for this reason the 

 system of feeding may be a little different. 



In growing hogs for market it is quite important that 

 the litters come as nearly at the same time in the early 

 spring as it is possible to have them, that they may be 

 uniform in size when the marketable age arrives. These 

 pigs should be fed lightly while suckling the sows 

 and not weaned any earlier than ten to twelve weeks old 

 that they may be well on in the process of feeding, and 

 after weaning should be placed in a first-class pasture where 

 the grass is fresh, thick and green. Clover of course is 

 one of the early things. Possibly the fall sown rye should 

 come on first ; a pasture of this would be a grand place to 

 start the pigs after weaning. They should, however, have a 

 good ration of some kind of flesh producing feed, grains 

 that are produced on the farm if possible, adding to this 

 as they develop some shelled corn soaked for about 12 to 

 14 hours ; enough to keep them growing and developing at 

 a rapid rate. 



After the rye pasture then a choice clover pasture or 

 alfalfa which is still better. Later a field of rape sown 

 early enough so that it will be several inches high before 

 the pigs axe turned into it. This would furnish them a 

 very satisfactory green feed for the balance of the season, 

 or until time to begin feeding green corn of some kind, 

 preferably from a field of evergreen sweet com, which 

 when planted in the northern country, would be ready the 

 first of August. This is a great feed to put on growth 



