CONCERNING PIGS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5396, 13 July 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

CONCERNING PIGS.

I A writer in the Queenslander says:— Coughing in pigs X have frequently known fo result from accumulation of worms in the throat, and these worms by their tickling caused the animals to be in a constant state of irritation by coughing and otherwise. They fell oil their feed and pined away as patients do in consumption. This evil was remedied in England by the use of a medicine made of wormwood and: saviue, of each two ounces, and Indian pink half an ounce. These were cut and bruised small and put into a vessel with one quart, of boiling water, covered up carefully, and allowed to stand in a warm place until next morning ; then strain off the liquor through a cloth, and add to it half an ounce of powdered ginger, two ounces aniseed, fresh powdered, and two tablespoonfuls of linseed oil. This medicine was given to young pigs in warm milk. ! The animal had nothing for two ' hours previous to having the medicine or for two hours after. The medicine was repeated' as considered necessary.

I raw much of measles in pigs during 1842 and afterwards. The disease waS then at Wisbeaoh Lens, in Cambridgeshire. • The people who had the disease in their herds did not say much about it. As a preventive, the pigs were cut in the ear. That is, at the thickest part of the ear the skin was just out through from the inside, in a slit about threequarters of an inch long. ■ Into this slit, and bet ween the skin and flesh, the leaf of a plant, named in those parts “ bear’s foot," was put by means of a sharp bon* knife, and the wound was dressed over. I have not Seen • this plant, “ bear’s foot,” in Queensland, but would kuow it although many years have passed. The plant was common in the {armors’ gardens there. It is about ISin. high, and 24in. across the top. Tho leaf was twisted round like string and then placed under the skin in a circle, a bit of bacon rind being put in on top to keep tbe leaf in position. The matter drawn from tho animals in this way had a markedly beneficial effect upon their health. When operating on tho ear of a pig, a muzzle made from the upper of a boot, and slipped- over the nose, is used. There is no danger then. When fattening pigs now I give them two tablespooutuls, twice a week, of tartarised antimony and flour of sulphur, mixed with their food. Pigs fattened on maize, beaus, or barley do best when they have a cold slab floor to lie on, and this floor should be washed out each morning. When fed on mangel-wmze), they do best in n small sty, from which the light is excluded as much as posiiblo.