14 



FARMERS^ BULLETIN 8'I4. 



haps as an ap})ctizer and tonic, rather than as a worm preventive, 

 A balanced ration may furnish all the necessary feed nutrients, yet 

 the system of the liog craves mineral matter. The mineral matter is 

 not muler control, and in order to make sure that the hogs have an 

 abmidant supply, free access should be given to a mineral mixture. 

 The following is a foi-nuUa for such a mixture: 



Charcoal mixture. 



Charcoal 1 bushel 



Hardwood ashes 1 bushel 



Salt 8 pounds 



Air-slaked lime 4 pounds 



Sulphur 4 pounds 



Pulverized copperas 2 pounds 



Mix the lime, salt, and sulphur thoroughly and then mix with the 

 charcoal and ashes. Dissolve the copperas in 1 quart of hot water 

 and sprinkle the solution over the whole mass, mixing it thoroughly. 

 Keep some of this mixture in a box before the hogs at all times, or 

 place in a self-feeder. 



THE SOWS. 



Dry sows can be placed in pasture by themselves and given very 

 little grain. Those which show an exceptionally rmi-down condition 

 from suckling their pigs should be separated from the rest of the herd 

 and fed gram until they regain breeding condition. Wliere pastures 

 are very luxuriant it is possible to carry breeding sows on pasture 

 alone, but in such case their condition must be studied closely by the 

 breeder, in order to be sure that they are receiving enough nourish- 

 ment from the pasture. Hogs require attention regardless of con- 

 dition, age, or sex, but the management of the brood sows is the 

 surest test of the breeder's skill. 



AGE OF BREEDING. 



The age at which a yomig sow is first bred will depend upon her 

 development, but it is seldom advisable to breed her before she is 8 

 months old. A very young sow seldom produces a large litter. 

 Another objection to early breeding is that a young sow has not the 

 strength to stand the strain of nursing a litter of pigs, and her growth 

 may be checked to such a degree that she never fully develops. 



A sow farrows 112 to 115 days from the date of conception. By 

 keeping a careful service record, the breeder is therefore able to 

 determine accurately when to expect the pigs and to make his ar- 

 rangements accordingly. For convenient reference the gestation table 

 on the next page was arranged by Cobum ^ to show the expected far- 

 rowing dates for service on any day of the year from January 1 to 

 December 31. Calculations are based on a 112-day gestation period. 



1 F. I). Cobum, "Swine Hiishandry," p. 121. 



