SHELTER FOR SWINE 259 



ever break out in the herd, it would not be as likely to 

 destroy as many individuals when they are isolated in 

 this manner as it would if they were kept in close prox- 

 imity in the large house. However, if the large house is 

 properly constructed and used, and the pigs are properly 

 fed, there is no danger of disease ever breaking out in 

 the herd. If disease is introduced into the herd from ex- 

 ternal sources, of course the small hog house, on account 

 of its isolation, has an advantage over the large one. 



A small house may be moved from place to place, thus 

 providing clean quarters if the original location becomes 

 foul and the manure is not taken away. With this ar- 

 rangement of individual houses, or cots, the hog lot will 

 be more or less permanent because it is expensive to build 

 new lots. In order to furnish sufficient exercise these 

 lots should be of considerable size, usually from one-half 

 to one acre. A larger area would be still better. This 

 is one of the disadvantages of the small house, or cot, 

 because it involves considerable expense and inconven- 

 ience, as a separate lot is necessary for each sow. 



A-SHAPED COTS ; FRONT AND REAR. 



The form in which these small houses or cots are built 

 is decidedly varied, as nearly every breeder or every 

 locality or community of breeders has a special type. 

 Cuts 32 and 33 illustrate both the front and rear 

 respectively of the cots in use at the Illinois Experiment 

 Station farm. As can readily be seen this consists of a 

 base or sill made of 4x4's, to which boards 8 feet long are 

 nailed, meeting above in the form of the letter A. The 

 gables are also enclosed with a door in front and a 

 smaller opening near the top of the rear end. A cot of 

 this form is very good. It affords room for a bunch of 

 eight or ten pigs and when built on skids can be easily 



