MANAGEMENT OF PIGS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1999, 21 July 1880, Page 4

MANAGEMENT OF PIGS.

Bbeedino-. Pigs, like other animals, should have particular attention in this very important part of the business, for the better the class ot your pigs the better will bo the demand for them in the markets, and really first-class ones will top the prices. I regret not being sufficiently versed regarding the names of the various famed breeds to place them Before you. However, a few ideas about selection and breeding may not be considered out of place in this branch of information, tied I’ll now advance such as may be of some use. The first and chief consideration is the selecting of really good animals to breed from, and I shall advise you to go in for some of tho fine, broad, heavy description. One boar and two sows will do to begin with. Bo sure von got the right sort—net those coarse ocrubbers ; better have two kinds at first — vie , the large, broad, bulky-framed nort, and the China —an excdlent pig, fattens quickest of any. Having the two kinds, you’ll be able to breed something from them worth having, provided you keep them from degenerating by breeding too close. Avoid this by introducing new blood, and keep on improving. Three China pigs, one boar and two sows, ■will do for a start. When the sows are close on pigging put them each into separate places where they won’t be interfered ■with whilst bringing forth their young. Each place provided for them should consist of a covered pen for Bleeping in, and a feeding yard, with a trough. In this place tho sow and her offspring will remain till ouch time as the males are fit for being sorted. Then they are run into tho classing lane, and males and females are separated by means of a swing gate, working at tho far end of the lane. The males are passed into tho lower yard, which is the smallest one, and there sorted and passed into a clear yard, supplied with feeding trough, where they remain a week or so before being turned into large yard. Next comes the feeding of your pigs, to make them fit for the markets soon as possible. I shall advise the following description of food to be given, as most wholesome, nutritious, fattening, end productive of famous sweet bacon, which, if once you got your name up for, you may rest assured of commanding both a ready and extensive sale for it, at the highest market rates. Jim—“ Where did you get this bacon, Tom ? it is the most delicious sweet pork I’ve ever tasted ; I’m oa to buy a lot of it.” Tom : “I just bought it from a neighbor of ours, and really I never flaw finer pigs anywhere than he has, all fed on vegetables ; you must have a look at them; I mean to get the breed myself.” Jim : “All right, my boy, we’ll go at once.” Exit. Tho food—boiled potatoes, mixed with bran and milk, other vegetables do, throe times a day, morn, noon, and evening. For drink—milk, •with b little bran mixed in it, twice a day. Corn, boiled, and mixed with milk, forms an excellent fattening food. By following this course of diet, you'll rear and fatten fine healthy pigs, fit for any market. Vegetable Coed is by far the best for pigs, and if they can gat a run on lucerne three times a week for two hours, they’ll thrive all tho bettor. I condemn tho system of feeding pigs on offal, as liable to engender disease amongst them ; besides, the pork of pigs fed on same is far inferior to that of vegetable fed ones. Just try tho two plans cf feeding; try tho two bacons; then you’ll be tho bettor able to judge tho qualities of each.

PiGQEav. —I don’t know whether or not my idea of pig yards, pens, &e., will meet with the approval of pig breeders or not, but I have no hesitation iu saying to those who can produce better, by all means come forward and do so. I’m quite willing to learn, and shall be glad indeed if this article, or any other article which I have written or may write, will be the means of inducing others to come forward and give us their ideas upon the varioua subjects that I have placed before the public, and which I hope to place before my readers. I propose piggery, &e., to bo constructed in tho following manner, viz.: — First of all, let tho choaen spot of operation be upon a gravelly hill, gently undulating to a running stream, if possible, mind, at tho basement of it, if such a site can’t he had, select the best you can near water. Make sheds and pens first, along the back of those put up a good strong close four rail fence 4ft. high. Bet tho rails bo not more than 4in. apart, fence tho ends in tho same way. Make ' u the shed Bft. high at the back, sloped J off to 6ft. in front, shingle the roof, if possible, or cover with good sound bark, width of shed 9ft., length 75ft. within it, at each end make three pens each 9 x 6ft., with gates 6 x 4ft pig proof, to each. Batten or slab the whole of the pig shed, raised 6in. from tho ground, with slight slope to tho front, along which make a good stone gutter to carry off water over the hill slope. Of coarse the timber of which this is built mast bo good and substantial, and well put together, to insure of its lasting for a number of years. Slightly-constructed fabrics will not stand for any length of time, and always coat more in the long run than well-built ones. The pens described are for boars, and breeding sows exclusively, therefore, to keep those separate, each pen must have a small yard attached thereto, with feeding troughs; length of each yard 15ft., width 6ft., and each of those yards must have gates to pass from one to the other, and into the large pen yard ; such gates will be 3ft. wide, 4ft. high, quite strong and close, so that the smallest pig cannot get through them. Set the troughs on a battened floor sufficiently wide to allow of the pigs standing upon it whilst feeding, and place them at the furthest corner from tho shed. Next in order is the large pen yard, 39ft long, 15ft wide, fences same dimensions as the pen ones. The main gate of this yard must be 6ft wide, 4ft high, strong and close. Next comes tho general feeding yard of 33ft square, fences some as the others, main entrance gate same size as large pen yard one. Two sides of this yard can be fitted with feeding troughs, raised on batten work same as the first ones, with stone guttering round to carry off water. Next we have two classing yards and a drafting lane to make. Yards, 18ft long, I3ft wide ; lane, 15ft long, 6ft wide. At the end of this a strong gate must be hung so as to work to and fro, effectually closing either outlet to the classing yards as required in drafting, whilst at the mouth of it is fixed a strong 6ft by 4ft gate. Each of those yards must also have a gate 3ft by 4ft to communicate with the general feeding yard and all the pig fences will be the one gauge as given. Bast and I think most useful end beneficial, is a pig paddock, -which must, if passible, take in-a portion of the creek for water supply, and if lucerne can be grown in it so much the better for piggies. Five acres will make a nice paddock, and it must bo very securely fenced, especially at the water course, whore pigs are sure to try and get out if possible, and a good plan is to plant a row of basket willows along where the fence crosses the stream. Set them 6in. apart, and they will soon form a thick Badge fence that will stop tho pigs from getting out at the creek. If this paddock can’t be made on a creek, conduct the water to it from the creek by means of a race, and excavate a good sized place, to form a pond for the pigs to wash at and enjoy the mud, which they are so fond of wallowing in, ’Tis much better to let them do the mud in the paddock than in the piggery, which ought to be kept clean. Bet them have their frisk in the paddock during a part of the day, and eat lucerne and grass, which cultivate for them ; and at night shut them up in tho piggery—they’ll soon get used to it, and can be taken back and forward without any trouble. Boview of piggery, &c.: The breeding pigs, boars and sows, are housed in their pone, which are provided with bedding, and so constructed as to ho easily kept clean ; fed in their little yards, whore they stand on little platforms whilst feeding, by which means dirt is prevented from getting into the troughs, and Water run off by the gutters, instead of being allowed to accumulate iu the yards. Tho mob of pigs have their feeding yard and large pen fitted up with their requirements ; and when sorting and classing, whether for market or other purposes, classing yards are there, with drafting lane for separating them as wanted, and troughs fitted up for feeding any which may require to be kept a while in the classing yards, one of which is used as a sorting yard, and outside of all is a nice paddock to ran the pigs in where they ■can get plenty of water and mud. Tho piggery, yards, &0., herein described is suitable for pig rearing on a large scale. Of oonree, a smaller area would suit those who only go in for breeding a few, and piggeries could be made to suit them on the same plan. However, I leave it for pig-breeders to judge if what has now been set forth is correct, systematically speaking.