INDIGESTI0N IN PIGS. (American Paper )

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1454, 27 October 1881, Page 4

INDIGESTION IN PIG S. (Amer ican Paper )

It h not a general piacticc with fanners to give «alt to pig's vr to mix it in their food. S.ilt is no more injurious to a pig than to a person. The Btomauh of a pig and its digestive funetion.s aio more like those of a human being than arc those of ultr.Oi-t any other animal. A hungry pigwould piobably cat enough to injure hnneelf if its food was strongly mixed willi eait, just aa a hungry in.m would be likely to eat too much of .s.iltod fish or meat. Salt is used to make human food moio palatable, and beem.s m'cossary to supply the wastes to the system ciusod by the animal secretions. The instincts of hordes and luminating animals lead them to desire salt. Hence, in a wild state they 6eek for salt springs or " licks," •where they may satisfy the natural craving 1 , and in a domesticated condition it should always be accessible to them, and then they never will injure themselves by eating too much of it. Figs do not seem to have thi.s natuial craving for Rait to the same extent as other animals, but I have known them to eat it when given to them while in pasture, and also while confined in pens, and I have made it a practice to put salt where pigs could help themselves to it. When pigs are fed on cooked food of any kind, and especially vegetables, the food can be improved and made more palatable, so that the appetite may not flag 1 , by moderately salting it. The proportions of salt should be the same as for human food. Too little attention is usually given by farmers to the stomachs of pigs. They are expected to eat anything and everything, or perhaps to live a long time on only one kind of food. • This want of attention is the cause of frequent diseases among pigs, chief of which are diarrhoea and constipation. Regular feeding 'of ealt in moderate quantity and of sulphur, with an occasional feeding of charcoal (once a week) will serve to make a good appetite, promote digestion and prevent disturbance of the bowels, which is inoie likely to occur without these precautions. The health and digestion of pigs would undoubtedly be promoted if they had access to prepared chalk or if n small amount of magnesia was given them in their food. Pigs suffer much from indigestion, caused by ovoreatiny, and if thoy had the remedies accessible their instincts would teach them to make use of them and thus prevent the frequent resujts— diarrhoea. In summer time, when pigs have acccpa to the ground, they cure themselves, or, in othur words, prevent diseases of the Btomach by eating grass, which is laxative, or earth, rotten wood or bits of charcoal, which neem to check this condition or to prevent extremes. The best medicine for any animal i» preventive, henco their food and ijurrouncUngfl should be suoh aa to pro-

root© health. Tlief opposite ia too frequeutly the oase, aa they are often kept in filth, and their food is prepared for thorn regardless of sanitary laws, their physical wants or natural instincts. This inconsistency ia all the more remarkable when we consider that pigs are always reared only for human food, and are tho most liable of almost all animals to possess parasites in their bodies, and are BU.sceptible of a great variety of diseases, and among 1 them those of a scrofulous nature, which may be transmitted to tho human family when tho pork is eatpn. I never eat random pork, as I am afraid of it. When carefully raised and properly fattened, however, pig meat is healthful food. The omnivorous nature of pigs makes them more dangerous food than beef or mutton, as neat cattle or sheep will not naturally eat anything but grain or vegetables, whilst pigs are kept sometimes on putrid food or the refuse of s-Liughter-houses. Cattle may be taught to subsist on fish and be made to consume pwill, but tho number of such animals which aio turned into beef in this country is extremely limited, while "swill " hogs are much more plentiful. A butcher or any person who cuts up such animals eau readily distinguish them, as the flesh is soft and flabby, it should be made a misdemeationr to sell such meat, as it is not healthful food. Pigs from the country aro almost always fattened on grain, and the firmer the flesh the nearer it is to perfection and hoalth.