PIGS FOR PROFIT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 193, 1 September 1937, Page 13

PIGS FOR PROFIT

Farmers Advised to Raise Their Own It has been well said that the pig should never have two homes. And it has been equally well said that the only man who makes monev from pigs, that is the only farmer, is he who rears his own pigs. The bought-in pig, except where it is bought direct from a good pig-man, is f requently unprofitable and not infrequently a eource of serious loss by reason of the introduction of disease. There is no great se* cret attached to success in rearing piga, and it is not neeessary to be at tho business all one's life to be profieieiit. It is mainly a matter of common sense and the exercise of a little ordinary care. The sow is natrurally of primary importance in the production and successful rearing of young pigs. An ideal one should be docile and easily handled; the breast should be well developed, having at least ten, and preferably twelve to fourteen, evenly placed equi-distant teats, placed as far as possible forward towards the front legs. A sow having flat teats is seidom a good milker and generally a poor mother. She should be light in the forequarters, have a goodt long barrel, light jowl, light head, broad between the eyes, ribs well gprvng and deep, with chest well let down. The legs should be set well apart, straight and fine boned. A moderate quantity of hair is also desirable. There is mueh diversity of opinion as to the right age at which a sow should produce her first litter. It is generally safe if she does so when twelve months old, but it will be depqndent on the time of ycar. For instance, if she farrows in the late spring the little ones having the waiua weather before them will thrive better,. ar.d at less strain on the mother, than If born in, say, the autumm and the sow will be more easily and more economically able to recruit her strength during the summer than durillg the winter months and cOnsequently will be little the worse for her early parturition, provided she is properly fed and treated both before and after farrowing. The number of pigs a young sow should be allowed to rear is a matter that is often discussed. There can be no hard and fast rulo, It will largely depend on the condition of the sow. If she is i.n good strong condition aml healthy, anfi if properly treated, there ne.ed be no fear of allowing her lo rear 9 or 10. If she rears a large number there is a danger that she may bocome stunted in growtli and run down in health, and the little ones may not thrive, though if the sow is fed on sufficient nutritious food there is no danger of such things happening. It helps to keep her breast right if she has a iairly large family. Many sows have completely lost the use of as many as four teats, usually the back ones, owing to the fact that those were not made use of during tho first or second rearing period, consequently they wero not able to develop the secretion of milk lilie the others. „ •