Parturition 201 
often appears on the ends of the teats. There is a 
tendency for the animal to isolate herself from others, 
and to hide away. As parturition approaches she be- 
comes somewhat nervous, stepping about uneasily, the 
uneasiness increasing until labor-pains set in. 
Parturition is the birth, or expulsion, of the young 
from the womb. The mouth of the womb dilates, the 
vagina and vulva enlarge, the membranes that surround 
the fetus in the womb, commonly called the “water 
bags,” pass out through the vagina, followed by the 
young animal; and, last of all, the remaining mem- 
brane, or “after-birth,” is expelled. 
Animals about to give birth to young should be 
placed in dry, comfortable quarters, with a moderate 
quantity of fine litter for bedding. If too much bedding 
is supplied the animal may paw it into a bunch and in 
lying down or rolling, as it frequently does, may become 
“east,”—that is, get into a position from which it is 
unable to rise without assistance. Or, if the young are 
small, the mother may lie upon them or injure them if 
they are covered by much bedding. Sows, in farrowing, 
often lie upon the pigs and kill or injure them, espe- 
cially when the pigs are crowded against a wall. To 
prevent this, a piece of plank two inches high may be 
spiked to the floor, two or three inches from the wall ; 
or short pieces of board about a foot long may be nailed 
to the floor and wall, the bottom of the board being 
placed three or four inches from the wall. These pieces 
should be nailed about eighteen inches apart. After 
the animal is made comfortable in quarters where she 
is not liable to injure either herself or her young, she 
