G31 
Management of Berkshire Pigs. 
or any secretion that may be left back, through the after-birth 
not coming away as it should. This latter is of course moved 
from the sty before the little pigs are put back to the sow, 
after having their teeth attended to. 
In the first meal after farrowing, which should be given as 
soon as convenient, I always use two ounces of Epsom salt3 
and two ounces of powdered sulphur, mixed with a little warm 
milk. This I find answers well ; it prevents fever, yet in no way 
injures the milk. 
The next point we have to consider is a most interesting and 
at the same time a most important one, namely, the food b33t 
suited to pigs at various ages, and I have not yet been able to 
find a work that left the reader (especially if a beginner) quite 
clear that he could feed pigs equally well with the experienced 
herdsman. This I think goes far to prove that we can only 
feed successfully by daily observing how each pig, or pen of 
pigs, is thriving, and using judgment accordingly. 
I grind most of my barley with a Barford & Perkins mill, 
using a sifter, the screenings going for the rougher pigs and 
brood sows. This I find keeps them in good condition cheaply ; 
the finer meal goes to the younger pig3 and those I may be 
forcing. Although barley meal is my sheet anchor, I cannot 
do without buying some toppings and bran. The former is 
mixed with barley meal for little pigs, and for those up to four 
months old, at the rate of one of meal to two of toppings. 
As the pigs get older I increase the meal, as it comes 
much cheaper to use one’s own corn. The bran I use mixed 
with ground oats for the sows and litters, and when the 
young pigs are from five to six weeks old I add a little 
barley meal, simply to strengthen the sow to carry on her 
family until weaning time. I like the young pigs to feed as 
early as possible ; I think future success depends much on 
this, as little pigs learning to eat when young expand, and 
by so doing consume a larger amount of food, and consequently 
grow and fatten at an earlier age. I never feed more than 
twice a day with the meal mixture, but a few split beans 
given about eleven o’clock very much help the store pigs. 
A few ashes occasionally will benefit the animals that are 
kept confined in sties. I use all my damaged corn, but at the 
same time I would never buy damp or musty corn, as the meal 
from such gets heated, and is not only unpalatable but injurious, 
especially to the younger pigs. 
It will be noticed that I have left out perhaps one of the 
principal foods ; I refer to skim-milk. Some feeders go so far as 
to say that pigs cannot be reared successfully without it. This, 
