4 LEAFLET NO. 5, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



It is not to be depended on as a preventive of hog cholera and, even 

 though this system is followed, hog-cholera immunization should 

 still be continued in accordance with approved methods of hog- 

 cholera control. 



The Swine- Sanitation System 



Essentially the swine-sanitation system consists in handling young 

 pigs from the time of birth until they are several months old in a 

 manner that avoids or reduces to a minimum the chances of infection 

 with worms, or, in other words, that keeps young pigs entirely away 

 from old hog lots or other places exposed to fecal contamination. 



Fig. 3. — Two pigs of about the same age. The one in front is the typical runt, show- 

 ing the effects of worm infestation and other troubles caused by dirty hog lots. 

 The other pig is normal and healthy 



Spring Pigs 



Farrowing Pens 



Before farrowing time the farrowing pens, which should be of 

 sanitary construction, are thoroughly cleaned. (Fig. 4.) All litter 

 is removed, and the concrete and wooden floors, troughs, guard rails, 

 and sides of the pens are thoroughly scrubbed with boiling water and 

 lye. The heat of the water (if applied liberally and very hot) is 

 destructive to worm eggs and the lye helps to remove the dirt. The 

 indoor pens are shut off from the outside pens, which are commonly 

 built in connection with permanent hog houses, unless these outside 

 pens are of sanitary construction with concrete or wooden floors and 

 are thoroughly cleaned before the sows and pigs have access to them. 

 If the building is not artificially heated, the cleaning should be done in 

 the fall before freezing weather, as it may be found almost impossible 

 to clean the pens properly during the cold weather of early spring or 

 late winter. 



Sows 



The sows are placed in the clean pens a few days before farrowing 

 but not until the mud and dirt on their skins have been removed. 



