SWINE MANAGEMENT 



169 



as many poisons occur in certain feeds that are capable 

 of producing premature birth when sufficient quantities 

 are consumed. When abortion takes place during the 

 later stages of pregnancy, some difficulties may be ex- 

 perienced in handling the surplus of milk in the udder. 



Winter farrowing house on farm of N. H. G. Balfour in 

 North CaroHna. 



In most cases this milk will be absorbed without trouble, 

 but in other cases some treatment will have to be given 

 to check and dry up the secretion. In some instances 

 abortion or premature farrowing becomes constitutional 

 and chronic, when the best thing that can be done is to 

 fatten the sow for pork. 



Farrowing. — Prior to the delivery of the young certain 

 changes take place with the mother, which indicate the 

 approaching event. The causes of these changes are 

 none too well understood, but they are purely physio- 

 logical and normal, and are probably brought about 

 through the agency of harmones or internal secretions. 



