44 SWINE PRACTICE 



All equipment used in the handling of swine, such as water troughs, 

 feed troughs, self-feeders, chutes, dipping vats and crates should be 

 so constructed that they can be efficiently cleaned. The successful 

 breeder and feeder has found that the handling of swine for profit 

 can be accomplished only when all equipment houses, pens and lots 

 are kept in a sanitary condition. It is also found that those who 

 lose money in handling hogs usually do so because of their failure 

 to recognize the importance of sanitation. 



Clean wholesome water is as requisite to the health of swine as it 

 is to the health of any other animal. Hogs that obtain and depend 

 upon water from stagnant pools or ponds are practically always 

 found to harbor large numbers of animal parasites. It is probable 

 the digestive disturbances, such as infections necrotic enteritis, are 

 more prevalent in swine that obtain their water from questionable 

 sources than in swine that are provided with clean wholesome water. 



VALUE OF QUARANTINE 



Every well regulated swine-breeding or feeding farm has provisions 

 for quarantining newly purchased animals, show animals or sick ani- 

 mals that may be in the home herd. Quarantine is efficient only 

 when the animals are absolutely isolated from all others and exposure 

 of all other animals prevented. Quarantine pens should therefore 

 be removed some distance from the regular pens. Newly introduced 

 animals or show herds should be kept in absolute quarantine for a 

 period of at least three weeks, and then if they appear normal they 

 may be permitted in the general hog houses or lots. Sick animals 

 should be isolated for a sufficient time to determine the existing con- 

 dition, and if they are found to be affected with some infectious 

 disease the quarantine should be continued for three weeks after they 

 have apparently recovered. The quarantine pens should be cleaned 

 and disinfected after use, regardless of whether the quarantined ani- 

 mal evidenced disease or not. Cleaning should consist of gathering 

 all manure, bedding and other litter and burning or thoroughly soak- 

 ing with a 3 per cent solution of liquor cresolis compositus; then 

 all fences, partitions, feed troughs and the interior of the quarantine 

 hog house should be thoroughly washed with the same solution. 



General Diagnosis 



Diagnosis is the foundation for successful treatment. There has 

 been considerable confusion in the diagnosis of swine diseases. This 



