Castrastinq and Spaying. 155 



Then, with, a soft cloth, cover the parts with full strength 

 coal tar dip, and if the operation has been perfectly clean, 

 the pig will be entirely well in a week or so, without any 

 bad after-effects. 



SPAYING. 



This is an operation on the female and is not often prac- 

 ticed. In fact I seldom hear of a bunch of sows being 

 spayed. It is an operation that requires much more care 

 and knowledge, than castration of males. 



Many years ago the writer had a few young gilts spayed 

 by a very able veterinarian. The process was that of 

 laying the young gilt on an incline table and after 

 being securely fastened, the operator, with a sharp lance, 

 made an opening on the left side forward and below 

 the hip joint, between that and the first rib, where the in- 

 strument was inserted and the ovaries removed and the 

 wound dressed and opening closed up, but many of the ani- 

 mals so treated seemed to have little swellings or abscesses 

 form where the opening was made, and the trouble and 

 expense did not seem to justify any further attempts along 

 this line. It is supposed, however, that a bunch of sows 

 so operated on will feed better and make larger gains the 

 same as barrows, because they are more quiet and do not 

 have periods of excitement and restlessness, but as I said 

 above, it is not generally practiced. Spaying should be per- 

 formed while pigs are young and before they come to an 

 age of heat periods. 



