FEEDING THE HERD AND THE PIGS 199 



Gilts. — The young sows or gilts that are to be put 

 into the breeding herd should not be fed in the same lot 

 with the market hogs. As previously stated, they should 

 have more water, less protein and less carbohydrate up 

 to six months of age than the market pigs. This will 

 have the effect of keeping the factor of waste low and 

 will leave these young sows in a condition for greater 

 usefulness afterwards. Following this time the market 

 hogs are simply being fattened and fed only a little pro- 

 tein. The gilts may be given another increase in pro- 

 tein, and this process of increase and decrease may con- 

 tinue as shown in cut 20a during the growing period. 

 The time during which a large quantity of protein is 

 being fed should not be continued too long, as it has a 

 tendency to carry with it a high factor of waste. 



The method adopted in regard to the time when the 

 young sow is bred may have considerable influence as to 

 her development. There are two general systems accord- 

 ing to which this is done. The young sow may be bred 

 at about eight months of age so that she will farrow her 

 first litter when she is one year old. During the period 

 of pregnancy the sow will make some better use of her 

 feed and will probably not divert quite as much into the 

 channel of waste. At any rate, she will be able to utilize 

 a little more protein. During the period of lactation the 

 sow will naturally be considerably suckled down and be 

 in very thin flesh, which has a tendency to reduce the 

 factor of waste to a minimum, leaving the sow in a condi- 

 tion after weaning the litter to go ahead with another 

 period of maximum growth or development. 



Furthermore, the fact that a young sow is bred accord- 

 ing to such a practice will have a tendency to increase her 

 capacity as well as to develop her milk-giving functions. 



