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MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 
The sow goes four months with young, and brings forth 
from six to twelve, and even so many as twenty at a litter, 
and that twice a year. At the time of farrowing, the sow 
must be carefully watched, as it is not uncommon for her 
to devour her young. 
It has always been found that the best pigs are produced 
from a full-grown boar ; but when they become aged, the 
progeny seldom prove good. The sow should be wide in the 
chest, and capacious in the belly ; and if well nursed before 
weaning, she may procreate at the age of seven or eight 
months, and produce an excellent litter of young. But, 
we think ten or twelve months is soon enough to commence 
breeding, as the animal will by that time have gained 
sufficient strength to bear the exertion of gestation and par¬ 
turition. And no boar should be put to a sow until he is 
at least a twelvemonth old. 
It is of great importance that sows should farrow in warm 
weather, as when they produce in the winter season, the 
pigs are very liable to die with cold. When they are far¬ 
rowed late in August, the chances are much against many 
of them getting through the winter; and those which do 
are seldom strong and healthy. It is, therefore, advisable 
to part with these as soon as practicable. 
During pregnancy sows should be kept separate from 
others which are not in that condition, as by keeping many 
together, the pigs are liable to be injured in the womb, and 
even killed, which may have a very prejudicial influence on 
the rest of the progeny, as well as on the sow. 
It is of great importance to keep the sow and her young 
in a dry and warm situation, with plenty of good litter; 
and neither should be permitted to go abroad in bad wea¬ 
ther. When sows have the unnatural propensity of devour¬ 
ing their young, they should be carefully watched for some 
