SWINE MANAGEMENT 173 



skin becomes too harsh and rough it may be improved 

 by applying crude oil, old lard or other greases. Above 

 all, the boar should be kept gentle if such is possible. 

 He should be handled often, firmly, but gently. 



Bad habits. — Practically all bad habits to which swine 

 are subject are either the direct or indirect result of poor 

 feeding or faulty management. Hogs that are closely 

 confined about the house or barn frequently develop 

 such bad habits as chicken eating, rooting, fence break- 

 ing or climbing, ill temper, chasing other animals, eating 

 pigs and cow sucking. Nine times out of ten these bad 

 habits are the result of improper feeding and poor man- 

 agement. It is a difficult matter to break hogs of these 

 habits, and a much better way of handling the situation 

 is to remove the cause, which means proper feeding on 

 grazing crops in the field. 



