AUTUMN LITTERS.

Shannon News, 27 March 1925, Page 4

AUTUMN LITTERS.

Early autumn litters are stronger and more easily raised than spring litters. The sows stand up well under the added strain of raising two litters a year, and by the following of such a practice the cost of carrying the sows for the year is reduced by half. In addition to this, the autumn litters provide profitable work for’the Winter months and furnish means by which the value of the grain crop may be doubled or even trebled at a time when the prices of the grain crop are at their , lowest. For success with autumn litters there are no more potent factors than the supplying of dry, comfortable sleeping quarters and the run of a yard where the pigs may take exercise; A straw shelter has given good results. This shelter is so constructed that the steam from the pigs will not condense on the roof and fall back on the pigs. Between 5 and 6 feet has been found to be the best height at which to place the roof. The autumn-farrowed pigs should be fed sparingly on a good growing grain ration supplemented with milk by-products. Lucerne, green feed, turnips or mangels can be fed to advantage during the winter months, the roots in particular exercising a beneficial influence on the digestive tract. Shorts and finely-ground oats make the best meals upon which to start the pigs. When about 751bs in weight barley may be added and this inci’eased until the pigs are turned oil. Over-feeding is disastrous for autumn pigs. It quickly stunts them, puts them • off their feed, renders them unthrifty, and leads to colds, crippling, and rheumatism