BROOD SOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 July 1938, Page 3

BROOD SOWS

IMPORTANCE OF WINTER FEEDING. The feeding of brood sows, particularly during the winter months, is of extreme importance for the production of good litters in the following spring, write Mr C. E. Ballinger, assistant experimental Ruakura Farm, in the “Journal of Agriculture.” If a sow has suckled a large litter the previous autumn she will have lost probably 301 b of body-weight in her eight weeks’ suckling period. This loss of condition will take place even if she' has been well fed until weaning. It is a common practice to turn the sow out to graze in a cow paddoock after weaning with pasture as the only source of feed. If roots are being fed to the dairy herd the sow may also get a few of these. Under such conditions a sow has no opportunity of regaining her condition and building up body reserves for the production of the next litter. The sow, unlike the sheep or cow. has no store period, and the quantity and quality of pasture during winter is quite insufficient for the production needs. The problem is easily overcome by growing small areas of root crops and by feeding them with a protein-rich meal or a small quantity of skim-milk. Roots are deficient in protein, the supply of which is so necessary to the sow for the production of . healthy litters. The best form of protein is skimmilk or meat-meal, and a sow should receive 2 gallons or 3 gallons of the former or IJlb of the latter per day. With these quantities should be fed as many carrots, pumpkins, or roots as the sow will consume. Sows will consume about 301 b or 401 b or roots a day without any ill effect providing meal or skim-milk are also fed. Roots are bulky and should be fed in small quantities to begin with and gradually increased. About five or six weeks before the sow is due to farrow the ration of bulky roots should be reduced and replaced by 4 gallons or 5 gallons of skim-milk and meals. This will be the final preparation-of the sow heavily in pig in the period during which the young are developing rapdly. An adequate ration over this period is essential if the sow is to produce and rear a good healthy litter.