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FARMERS^ BULLETIN 874. 



CARE WHEN NOT IN SERVICE. 



The rest of the year the boar should not be fed so heavily, and 

 should have a wider ration, that is, one containing less of the protein 

 concentrates and relatively more corn. The ration at this time is 

 practically the same as that fed the brood sow when she is not pro- 

 ducing a litter of pigs. He should have the run of a pasture a quarter 

 of an acre in area in connection with his paddock. Here he can 

 exercise and obtain much of his feed from the forage, or in the winter 

 when the forage is consumed he may be fed on alfalfa or clover hay in 

 connection with the grain ration. Keep the boar healthy, give him 

 exercise, plenty of rough feeds, and keep him in condition by varying 

 liis supply of grain. Under such conditions little trouble will be 

 experienced in getting a normal boar to produce large litters of strong, 

 healthy pigs. 



THE PIGS. 



It is of the greatest importance in producing pigs for the market 

 that they gain in weight as rapidly as possible. The modern hog is 

 a highly specialized and efficient machine for the conversion of grain 

 and roughage into edible meat; but to obtain the greatest efficiency, 

 to make the most pork from a given amount of feed, to make the best 

 pork, and to make that pork most economically the machine must be 

 kept running to capacity from birth to the time of marketing. Noth- 

 ing is more important than this factor. The question of breeding, 

 the kind of feeds fed, and the proportion of the protein to the fattening 

 elements in the ration are all important and are all means to the 

 same end, but if the greatest profit is to be returned to the feeder his 

 pigs must make maximum gains at all times. 



SUPPLEMENTS TO SOW's MILK. 



The first opportunity to force the pigs comes when they are a few 

 weeks old. Up to this time they have been living solely on their 

 dam's milk; in fact there is no successful substitute, as has been 

 demonstrated by repeated failures to raise newly-born pigs on cow's 

 milk. The milk of the sow is much richer in protein, fat, and ash 

 than is cow's milk, and the latter makes such a poor substitute that 

 pigs under two weeks of age usually die of digestive troubles following 

 its exclusive use. After growing for three weeks the young pigs begin 

 to have an appetite for some feed to supplement the sow's milk, and 

 they should be fed, for unless they are the strain on the sow will be 

 a very serious one. The pigs will eat from the sow's trough, espe- 

 cially if she is being fed on thin, sloppy feeds. A pen should be 

 arranged adjoining that of the dam and separated from it by a parti- 

 tion with sufficient room at the bottom to allow the pigs to run under. 

 In the inclosure to be used by the little pigs place a low shallow 

 trough to contain their skim milk or mash. 



