166 SOUTHERN PORK PRODUCTION 



will never make as good a mother as she would have had 

 she been more nearly -mature. It must be remembered 

 that this extra drain on the gilt does not come only dur- 

 ing pregnancy, but it exists all the time she is suckling 

 the pigs. Under no circumstances should a gilt be bred 

 so that she will farrow under one year of age 



The time to breed. — Perhaps the most favorable time 

 for a litter of pigs to come is in the early spring, when 

 they can feed on the newly starting grass. A second 

 litter, coming in September or October, should be pro- 

 vided for. Our southern climate will permit of this, and 

 especially do they seem to do well where a good swamp 

 pasture is accessible. 



The breeding season. — Sows will usually come in heat 

 a short time after the pigs are weaned and about every 

 twenty-one days thereafter. The pigs should suckle for 

 about eight weeks. |!kVhen the sow comes in heat she 

 should be taken to a boar, and after a single uninter- 

 rupted service she may just as well be taken back to her 

 lot. The sow, when in heat, usually indicates it by 

 swelling of the vulva and by a change in voice. Instead 

 of a squeal there is a rather long-drawn-out roar. When 

 a sow fails to come into heat there is something physio- 

 logically wrong. Of course, they will not come in heat 

 if too old or if the}^ have been bred. If the pigs are not yet 

 weaned they need not be expected to come in heat, and if 

 excessive!}' fat they are not so apt to come in. The 

 period may sometimes be hastened by placing the sow in 

 the same lot with the boar. If a sow comes in heat but 

 will not catch, the best thing that can generally be 

 done is to fatten her for pork, unless she is an ex- 



