Summer Feeding of the Breeding Herd 123 



Feeding and management of the open brood sows. 



Mature sows which are not bred should be handled 

 during the summer in a way that will reduce to a minimum 

 the cost of their keep, yet maintain them in an active 

 healthy condition. It is possible to keep a mature open 

 sow on little or no grain, provided good forage crops are 

 available. Furthermore, experience has shown that the 

 most economical method of handling is to provide the 

 crops which will enable them to get most of their living 

 from this source. These crops should be grown in suf- 

 ficient abundance so that the sows, as well as the pigs, 

 may have an adequate supply. A thin mature sow will 

 maintain her weight during June and July on good blue- 

 grass alone, and on a forage crop like clover or alfalfa or 

 rape will make some gain. Much depends, however, on her 

 condition and previous feeding. If the sows are restricted 

 to over-stocked pastures, they will require some grain, 

 especially in late July and August when the ordinary 

 pastures often become parched and bare. When grain 

 feeding is necessary, corn or other home-grown grain is 

 appropriate since their need for protein is limited to the 

 requirements of maintenance, which are small. It should 

 never be necessary to feed the sows more grain than 1 per 

 cent of their weight daily. 



In addition to economy of feed and labor, the method 

 of feeding recommended above has the merit of providing 

 the conditions which promote exercise and thrift. Sows 

 that have had plenty of range during the summer and 

 a minimum of grain are in the best possible state of health 

 for breeding in the fall. Such conditions also provide 

 healthful surroundings and eliminate many of the chances 

 of disease. 



