AMONG THE PIGS

Shannon News, 1 November 1927, Page 2

AMONG THE PIGS

FEED CAREFULLY.

N SAFEGUARD THE LITTERS.*.

The birth of the Utter is due 16 weeks from the date of service. For about H weeks the sow, If pregnant, may be' largely-fed on coarse meals and raw food. If she can be run on a piece of good grassland, so much the better. About, a week before farrowing, lot her be placed in a roomy shed or sty which she will occupy whilst suckling her young. If the litter is a moderately large one the drain upon the sow will soon 'begin to reduce her condition. This cannot be permitted if the young pigs are to be well sucked. From the time they are about a fortnight old the sow should be fed a full amount of nourishing food. Care-must be taken not to feed 100 heavily for at least a week after farrowing. In fact, for about 24 hours' after the pigs are born the sow should receive no solid food. Soft, sloppy mashes, consisting largely of bran, sharps, middlings, boiled roots, potatoes, Vegetables, etc., make a good dietary for a suckling sow. A little tender green food should also be given: and there should always be a good supply of drinking water within her reach. Dairy By-ProductS. Heating and fattening meals like barley and. maize are not very suitable, but a small .proportion, of maize meal* may be added tp the soft mash. Maiz e nioal does assist in'the production of milk, but it should not exceed one-fifth, part of the mixture of milking- offals, etc,-/ -Ground or crushed oats, though a little more costly, are preferable to either maize or barley in feeding a ruckling sow. Nothing is . better .-.nan skim milk, whey, and other dairy by-products. Butter-milk is very good, unless it contains salt. The little pigs soon begin to crowd around the trough when '"he sow is feeding, unless they ar e fed a little and oatmeal gvuel in a shallow trough placed out of reach of the sow.

This sort of feeding is always advisable if the sow is unable to suckle the lot satisfactorily. In any case

it is a good plan to begin the young to feed from a trough before wean-

ing time

Pigs which have been partly hand-

fed from about seven to ten days old arc easier to' wean than those which have been wholly suckled and not trough-fed until they are separted from the sow. Once the young pigs begin to run around they may b e allowed to go out of doors.if : the wea!her is bright a "d warm. W^aiiiniEr.

Spring farrows make a vigorous grown if they enjoy regular exorcise in the open a:r. If there is strong sunshine the pigs are fond of basking in it. TlK'.ro is an element of danger in this, as long exposure to hot sunshine may cause sunstroke. Opinions may vary somewhat as to the best time to wean the pigs. , If it is desirable to get the sow inpig again without delay the litter may be weaned at five to six weeks old. If the pigs are to be sold as weanlings of young 'stores it will probably be advisable to let them run with the sow until about eight to ten weeks old.

The weaning is best done gradually the pigs being separated from the sow for a few hours every day during the week previous to the final separation. The strongest members of th c litter shquld be removed first, and the under-sized allowed to dry off the sow. The sow usually comes in. season a few days after the pigs are weaned.

This sometimes happens, however, before the dillings, or smallest of the lot. are removed. this state the

sow is dangerous to her young. Careful watch must accordingly be ketpt

over her

, A sow which has suckled a largo litter, and is in reduced condition, is unlikely to come in season, before the last of th e young are weaned, but a sow in good condition will sometimes begin to rut while suckling her litter