194 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Avea., 1901. 
Fic. 1.—Pig Trough built to suit the pig’s form. 
Everyone knows that the pig has a particularly stiff and thick neck to 
enable it to root with vigour and seek its food from the soil. Now, it is just 
this stiff neck which preve nts the pig from feeding comfortably out of the 
ordinary troughs. 
If we examine more carefully the build of pigs, we find that the shape of 
the trough is utterly unsuitable and wrong. The side of the trough on which 
the animal stands to feed is perpendicular, but the pig cannot bend its neck 
(nape) like a horse or cow, and consequently cannot get its snout into the 
trough. For this reason pigs never stand right in front of the trough, but 
always sideways with a foot in the food. They do not contract this bad habit 
of standing with the fore feet in the trough from pleasure, but of necessity, 
for in no other way can they get at the food. But standing in the trough 
results in uncleanliness and waste. Besides the upright sides, the ordinary 
troughs have a still greater fault, in that the bottom presents a surface too 
broad and flat, so that it is impossible for the pig to dispose of the whole of the 
food. ‘Thus the cleansing is troublesome, and is not always done as perfectly | 
as should be. : 
In order to obviate both difficulties—the uncomfortable and unnatural 
feeding of the pigs, and the difficulty in cleaning the troughs—I have caused a 
trough to be constructed as here shown (Fig. 2). At first it was made ot | 
Fic, 2.—Rear view of Trough. 
cement, but was found not to be durable. The cement sides were gradually 
attacked, lost their smoothness, and became full of holes. Latterly they hay’ 
been made of enamelled cast iron. . 
The shape of the new trough has been retained after many years of ust. 
As will be seen by the illustration, the far side of the trough is perpendicular 
On the other hand, the front whence the pigs feed is sloped and arranged ti 
suit the build of their head and neck, so that they can feed comfortably in* 
natural attitude. 
It is a condition of the shape of the trough that all food runs together it 
the 4-inch broad semi-circular bottom, and thus can be all consumed by the pig 
The cleaning out of the trough is also rendered easy, as a wisp of stra! 
will carry away all dirt and waste food. 
The cross beams are also of great advantage, as they prevent, when sever 
animals are feeding together, the driving away particularly of weakly ani 
and the scattering of the food. 
As all corners are avoided, no food can permanently remain to form acilS 
or other uncleanliness to spoil the food. At both ends the troughs a® 
