NOTES FOR FARMERS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 147, 25 June 1914, Page 6

NOTES FOR FARMERS.

THE PIG- AS A GRAZING-. ANIMAL.

The too closely peaning of pigs ex--oept while topping «P is a mistake. Bra state of Nature the pig is a grazing animal. For breeding and growS. pigs a grazing out-run is profitxMe Admitting that pigs must be fett differently from other stock when housed, yet grass is still to them a natural food, even as it is to horses and cows. Pigs grase as. close to tne ground as sheep. It is, sometimes ftated that'pasture deteriorates unler cows, but whether this be so or not, pigs benefit pasturage,, and rapidly improve poor quality soil ftven the very youngest pigs, running with the mother, will graze a little, but should be gireu some other foodlas well. Shade and shelter are necessary. Sunburn in summer is to be guarded against. Bren with larger pig? a sudden change from .dull to sunny weather during the hottest portion of the year means sunburn. When grazing is plentiful store pigs ©Fall ages cm be. run upon it oKeaply,' and need but very little trough food. With regard. to the quantity of trough food to give, the xuie should be *o keep the animals in decent condition. With plenty ot good grazing strong pigs, need' very little in the way of trough food, and the warmer the weather the less they need. Breeding sows in pig should, not be allowed to become low in condition for want of a little extra food. Pigs are thirsty animals, and* when: run, out need plenty to drink. Swill in the troughs is required, but m addition water should always be withm reach. Pigs running oust m this way require shade and shelter to resort to at will. It is a natural habit of the pig to wallow, and the coating of mud thus assumed helps much in keeping off' flies, but where a natural wallow cannot be made, frequently throwing down a few buckets of waiter jn a suitable spot will soon result in an artificial wallow. Clean wallowing is not an" unclean habit, but rather the reverse. It is ■notable that in the irrigation districts of America the pigs up /to. the time of topping up are kept almost exclusively upon grazed lucerne.