THE BREEDING OF SWINE 501 



ment being made that in this way there is no danger of the 

 sow's udder spoiling, as the weaker ones will take the milk. 

 This practice is of doubtful merit ; it is perhaps best to take the 

 sows entirely away from the pigs, thus leaving the youngsters 

 in their own pen. If the sows have previously had their food 

 reduced as suggested and the pigs are fed extra, this will surely 

 give best results. 



Castrating the pigs. — The boar pigs not desired for breed- 

 ing purposes should be castrated. This should be done rather 

 early in order that the pigs may recover from the resulting sore- 

 ness before weaning', say from three to six weeks of age. 

 At this age, the operation is very simple. Have an assist- 

 ant hold the pig by the hind legs, placing the pig's back against 

 the assistant's breast, and holding the hind legs apart in such a 

 way as to expose the scrotum. Simply slit the end of the scro- 

 tum and remove the testicles by pulling them but ; smear a mix- 

 ture of fresh iardand turpentine half and half on the scrotum, 

 and let the pig go. With ridglings and hernia there is more dan- 

 ger and more care should be used. A ridgling is an animal in 

 which one or both testicles have not descended into the scrotum. 



Marking pigs. — When one is breeding pure-bred animals, 

 some system of identification is necessary, as even an expert 

 cannot identify pigs when they are reared in large droves. 

 The method suggested in Fig. 172 is very good. 



Pigs after weaning. — Many pigs are stunted for want of 

 proper care the first month after weaning. If in summer, they 

 are frequently turned out to hot dry pasture to forage for them- 

 selves ; or if in winter, they are placed in close, dark, cold and 

 muddy quarters, and they are likely to fail to develop. An- 

 imals thus treated, of course do not make satisfactory gain. 

 For best results, if in summer, the pigs just weaned should 

 be provi.ded with shade, a clean mud wallow, and receive grain in 

 addition to the pasture; if in winter, dry, well lighted, well 

 ventilated, and protected quarters should be provided, and if at 



