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| PROFITABLE PORK mrooct

W. J. KENNEDY a

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PROFITABLE
Penk PRODUCTION

A BOOK FOR
FARMERS AND SWINE GROWERS

By W: J: KENNEDY

Director of Agricultural Extension Department,
Iowa State College

Formerly Professor of Animal Husbandry Iowa State College and
Vice Director of lowa Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa

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Coprighted 1912
Profitable Breeding and Farming Company
All Rights Reserved

Published By
Profitable Breeding and Farming ae

Nevada, lowa

De? W. J. KENNEDY

PREFACE

This little book is published to meet the demands
of the busy man on the farm. In the preparation of
this work, special attention has been given to pres-
ent day problems as they affect the corn belt farmer.
It is presented in simple, plain language. The sole
object of this book is to help the farmer and hog
raiser in the growing and fattening of swine for mar-
ket purposes. The statements herein contained are
the results of practical tests in which over two
thousand head of pigs were grown and fattened for
the market. No theories or speculations are offered.
My earnest hope and desire is that each man who
reads this work will find some useful suggestions
which he can apply profitably in his swine growing
operations. .

W. J. KENNEDY.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I
The Profitable Type of Hog
PAGE
Cons tittiom \ 2-2" eee te A ee 6
Body” (Capacity 2.25 eee te eh ee ae 7
Meet. ‘anilisisegs 2:72. See Se 1
Plead: fe Oo ae ee ae en on a See
Straightness: of ‘Body TWanes.i20 ee ee eee 9
Shoulders ye. ek ie ee 9
Qua iy eee Fe A OE eee Uk oa 2 ee 9
CHAPTER II
Preparation of Corn and Other Feeding Stuffs
ClO Coo ee ee ee rT he oD oe ee ee 10
(a) Dry ear corn (d) Soaked corn meal
(b) Soaked shelled corn (e) Dry corn and cob meal
(c) Dry corn meal (f) Soaked corn and cob meal
Beamiey 2a Sa i a BO a ee 13
Serie: 22ni/ Goo eee Ae ee 13
WIRGAILY: hate 5 ie See eee Sos eee ea oe ee Be 13
Tankase or Meat: Mealy sco .02 0 eo ee ee ee 14
PUY pe ee 2 een! Js NS i ec 14
CU is ian ace ee oc a eS a a ae ee 14
Ol Wiieain i 680s eee ee te i A 14
Cottomseed Meal (2 i220 Pe ee 14
Gluten Mees a2. ee ee a 14
POTATO CS aa Oe SN hid ee 14
Pumpkins 225 (ob 2 ae Ae eh ae ee 15
Skim: Milkee-: 35 4 ete oS ee 15
Alfalfa and” Glover Hay ..2..4. a en 15
CHAPTER III
Feed, Care and Management of Brood Sow
General: Introduction. 2 en eee 16
Barlyor- Loate- bitters. 23 2 ee a 18
Feeding Sows Previous to and During Breeding Season............ 20
Feedine: During Pregnancy Period: :.........2.0. 2.2...) 2 ere 22
Rations for Brooegsows:<...2-.4 5.24... 2 ee 23
Influence of Rations on Size of Pigs at Birth............................... 24
Influence of Rations on Condition of Pigs at Birth ............0000.... 25
Feeding at Farrowine@ Time ...........>. 4.4... ee eee 26

Feeding: During Suckling: Period.....2.0).:.....) 28

CHAPTER IV
Forage Crops and Summer Feeding of Swine

Points to be Observed in Selecting Forage Crops....................... 29
(TELLS phe aR See. 2 at cA te ae 2 aN Unk or) fo Reels AE AB 31
Ls RT OS eh! SU Ea SAG ORS Ee ee Wee SOS WN NOE 6h ae oe Bln on 33
rm —— VP GCIVETY EPEC foe. day ese ees reel ad tice cauecobcacanse 36
aus Medium Rea Clover and Rapes... 220.2... 12n.e 37
Sai anadian wield Peas ‘and! Rape. :. 0 2!2 0 aka kk. 38
SEs Ene TEAC) co Nga SAI SI Oe ae Sennen Pee anes a ae Beer mm PEAT 39
Blue Grass and Timothy......... SE Sees Peake ae km aoy ge OS es 5 A 41
Meer we Pe TAS oreo the ee tee RO Tok A A har ee Se VE 42
CHAPTER V
Hogging Down Corn
Deter INETOOUCTION: 60S Ne ee he ls ee 43
Kind of Corn and Supplements to USe............2.............-.ssssseceseeeeone 44
(a) Rape (b) Soy Beans (c) Rye
Size of Hogs to Use... NOR cat ea id ee Ae aon 50 ee Eee
Time to Turn Hogs in ‘Corn. Field... WRT Ace De, EEO ee Ae a ON, 47
“ST ETG A tiey il 6 0's |<) Sea Be ee eed ee en Se ee eRe es Mee ee OO 48
SS UTIL sO 0 FSC ae a, ON Dp ne 48
epeeeienel. Hr EIS POP AChE ee oo os ans eee cewouce tin cucnece -nccaednnvemeees 49
CHAPTER VI
Fattening Hogs in Dry Lot
mamantares of Dry oot Weedinme...-- 5.24 -ck oh cccl cscs akcenties estes 50
Panions for Pies Krom. 50: to 75 Poundisy.2...22..2...222.20.-.- lak. 53
Hatione 10r: Hogs From 100 to 150° Pounds... .-...........2-c-001- Son 53
Rations for Hogs 1775 Pounds and Upwards...............................5... 54
Parecnime Hors Behind Catitle..2_.......-.2.22..ccccccsececescctetsesscecetaccecse 55

CHAPTER VII
Treatment of Worms, Lice and Prevention of Diseases

EH ESS AS Es a TDS in oie PANS Ped nee SURI: epg Se Ped ee CRED, 1 ere eee Oe 56
Sols SS Ay oe DAR ts Rie SO aa ees ae ae ee ee Oe Re ee a
TF Ee ae De AUS Saab oo 28 9k ee a nn eee” em eC Sem 57
6 LE LSS ENEE Se ER Ie a oe A Rn a ee Pe Oe ae Sr Oi 58
Soe PERLE DYES Is 0 RR RES DESC) te ae aes ma ne Oe ee SOUR eee 58
“oLsc fi Je 2h Cl Sn 00 6 sl aR See Ne di aide a eR a aE Nees Sa a ea 59
Treatment for Hogs Infected With Worm.s.................................... 59
Treatment to Use as Prevention of Worms.......................2222..+------ 60
Den SOP OTE a NUON Me eae ee Se ee ae 60
LEE neck gi eae dnd Ol 2 deg AE eae eee Rae Seer 61
0517 Re eine De ia le BS doe} EEL Si 8 ee meee os Om fe Re ee Soe 61
De EE ERI) Se ES 20 A ea cach 61
IMME en An a tebe inte Ble Es a Sek di setcecuagaueos 61
LEIS Lar” SG IGS NS. Ae Ne tlh RD eR 62
MR reas ao be SN tC RE A ea! 62
ea erie 08S BEBE te es se ce Oe ed 62
ESR EN SEE Sa ae Ee A ee ep ae ene cee 63
PSR CN or san dee rN USER Te el ow nN aan 64
Die rmenee tor, Sanitary) Conditions):......20) 2.2 64

6 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

_ CHAPTER I
The Profitable Type of Hog

The first and most important point in pork pro-
duction is to have the right type of hog. This hog
must meet the demands of the consumer. He must
also produce large and economical gains so as to in-
sure a profit for the producer. In other words, he
must be a utility animal. The question of individu-
ality is of much more importance than breed. We
have good hogs and also undesirable hogs in each
and every one of our recognized breeds. Each indi-
vidual hog raiser must settle the question of breed
for himself. The ideal farmer’s hog is the animal
which never lies to the assessor. He is farrowed
after the assessor arrives this year and is marketed
at a weight of three hundred pounds or better before
he comes back next year. Such hogs are not all
confined to any one breed nor are they all red or
black or white in color. This is the kind of a hog
which can convert feed into dollars and cents at a
profit to his feeder.

POINTS TO LOOK FOR IN SELECTING HOGS

Constitution. In all classes of live stock we .can
never pay too much attention to the question of con-
stitution. This is especially true of swine. The
daily gains and health of the hog are largely deter-
mined by the question of constitution. The more
vigorous the hog, the more he will eat and the
more he eats the heavier and the more economi-
cal the daily gains. Thus vigor insures the
two most important points to be observed in
pork production, namely: rapidity of gains and
economy of gains. Now what are some of the indica-
tions of constitution? (1) A large heart girth, as

THE PROFITABLE TYPE OF HOG 7

indicated by depth of body behind the shoulders and
width of floor of chest. (2) A broad head with good
mouth and nostrils. Avoid a hog with a narrow
tucked in chest or a pinched muzzle with small nos-
trils, as both of these defects are very serious.

Body Capacity. The hog is simply a machine to
convert food into meat. The greater his body capac-
ity the greater his ability to make rapid and econ-
omical gains from the food furnished. Body capac-
ity is obtained in three ways and all of these are to
be found in real useful hogs, namely: length of body,
width of body and depth of body. The two most
serious defects in this connection are lack of length
and lack of depth. Insist on having all these and
especially the last two.

Feet and Legs. A large heavy bodied hog re-
quires good strong feet and legs to take him to mar-
ket. If he breaks down on the way he is sold as a
cripple at a very much reduced price. The legs
should be straight, strong and well supported below
both the hocks and knees. The bone should he fairly
large and of good quality. Avoid a meaty boned hog
as it indicates coarseness and lack of strength. The
ideal bone, below the knee and hock of the hog, is.
clean cut and gradually tapers to the pastern joint.
The pasterns should be short and strong. The toes.
should be short and kept well together. Spreading
toes are very undesirable. Avoid a hog with crooked
hind legs or knock kneed in front as both are very
objectionable.

Head. The head of the young pig is a fairly good
index of his future development. If the head is
broad, strong in the muzzle, with large nostrils and
a large mouth, the pig should develop into a large
well proportioned hog. Avoid a pig with a narrow
head, small muzzle and small mouth as it is seldom
that such an animal ever amounts to much. These

PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

OF BOAR

c
My

‘Ye

USEFUL

THE TYPE OF HOG

NTS

CORN INTO DOLLARS AND CE

WHICH CONVERTS

THE PROFITABLE TYPE OF HOG 9

are the points which indicate utility or the lack of
utility, thus should be observed.

Straightness of Body Lines. In all young ani-
mals it is advisable to insist on straight top, or
slightly arched and straight bottom lines. These in-
dicate strength and vi gor, also go to make up a
well proportioned hog. We always look for an arch
back in the pig, but with age the animal may show
some deviation in this respect. A straight underline
is always desirable. The width of back should be
carried well down on the sides. Avoid a V-shaped
body conformation.

Shoulders. The shoulders should be wide but
smooth on top and on the sides. Every market dis-
criminates against a coarse, rough shouldered hog as
lacking in finish and quality.

Quality. While size should not be lost sight of
for quality, still we must have quality. It is some-
thing which is demanded by all packing house men.
They object very seriously to coarse, rough should-
ers and wrinkles or creases on the sides, back or loin.
A nice thick, straight coat of hair always helps the
general appearance and attractiveness of a bunch
of market hogs. Coarse, curly or wirey coats are
always considered as external indications of waste-
fulness from a dressing standpoint and coarseness
of grain of meat. Insist on a large smooth hog with
plenty of finish. No attempt is made in this conec-
tion to describe the breed characteristics of the dif-
ferent breeds of swine. That is a subject in itself.
The utility, or dollar and cent end of the pork propo-
sition alone has received attention. |

The hog for the corn belt farmer is the one
which will make the largest number of pounds of
good edible meat from a bushel of corn and the var-
ious kinds ‘of supplemental feed fed in conjunction
with the corn.

10 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION
CHAPTER II
Preparation of Corn and Other Feeding
Stuffs

In all swine feeding operations, we must ever
keep two things in mind, namely: economy of gains
and rapidity of gains. Any method of feeding or of
preparing feed for hogs which insures more rapid
and more economical gains should commend itself
to the swine raiser. We must always be able to an-
swer the all important question, ‘‘ Does it pay?’’

The most common methods of preparing feeding
stuffs for swine are grinding, soaking, cooking or
eutting, depending upon the nature of the feed used.
Each and every one of these methods of preparation
means additional cost. In the discussion which fol-
lows each feeding stuff will be considered separately.
It is believed that this arrangement will prove more
convenient to the reader.

Corn. In all of the corn belt states corn stands
as the peer of all feeding stuffs from the point of
economy of gains. It leads all others from the stand-
point of total digestible matter. In carbohydrates,
the fat forming compound, corn ranks high. While
corn should always constitute from sixty to ninety
per cent of all hog rations, still the addition of some
other feeding stuff, rich in protein and ash matter,
to the corn ration, always insures more rapid and
generally more economical gains.

Very extensive experiments in regard to the prep-
aration of corn for swine feeding have been conduct-
ed at the Iowa Experiment Station. These cover the
feeding of ear corn, soaked shelled corn, dry corn
meal, soaked corn meal, dry corn and cob meal and
soaked corn and cob meal to some 312 head of all

PREPARATION OF FEEDS ich

ages and weights. The various costs of the different
methods of preparation were as follows:

Shelling corn 1c per bushel.
Grinding shelled corn to meal 2c per bushel.

Grinding ear corn twice to fine corn and cob
meal 6c per bushel.

Soaking corn or corn meal le per bushel.

Where soaking was practiced the water was add- _
ed 12 hours before feeding time. The table, on page
12, giving the weights of hogs used, the aver-
age daily gains, the amount of feed per 100 pounds
of gain and the cost per 100 pounds of gain with corn
at 50c per bushel and the return per bushel of corn
when pork sells at $6.00 per cwt. will be found use-
ful and instructive.

Experiments reported on page 12 were extensive,
thus should be reliable. The results obtained would
seem to justify the following general conclusions in
regard to the methods tested of preparing corn for
hogs.

1. That pigs from weaning time up to 200 Ibs. in
weight made the most economical gains when fed on
dry ear corn, although in some instances shelled
corn soaked 12 hours made somewhat faster gains.

2. Hogs over 200 Ibs. in weight made more econ-
omical gains on shelled corn soaked in water 12 hours
than on dry ear corn or corn meal in any form and
the gains made were almost as rapid. The amount
of corn saved by shelling and soaking ranged from
4 to 7.5 per cent. in the different lots, being highest
in those lots on pasture.

3. Shelled corn soaked 12 hours was more palat-
able and produced faster and more economical gains
than shelled corn which had been soaked 24 hours.
It proved useless to grind corn for hogs of any age

12 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

Ave. | Feed
daily

gain

Return
from bu.
of corn
Pork--$6.

Total
days per 100
fed lb. gain

Three months old pigs weighing from 45 to 50 Ibs. each
fed on grass.

Cost per 100

lbs. gain-

corn at 50c
per bu.

Lots Kind of Corn

1 S|, sDryiear (CePrmisny Ak ee 172 | .95Ib | 439Ib | $4.28 | 73e
2 | Soaked shelled corn...) 172 | .941b | 4501b 4.43 | T1¢e
3.) .}< Dry corm meal. a s2.5- 172 | .85Tb | 498Ib | 5.02 | 62¢
4 | Soaked corn meal.....| 172 | .93tb | 493Ib 4.95 | 64¢
5 | Dry corn and cob meal 172 | .51%b | 700Ib 6.36 | 60¢
6 | Soaked corn and |

CODY ANCAL (ic wie etn's © 172 | .561b | 670Ib 6.12 | 62¢

Corn 10 parts—Meat Meal 1 part

Hogs weighing around 100 Ib. at start, fed during spring
and summer in dry yards,

fry. “ear corm. <3 3c. «5.4 140 |1.32Tb | 465Ib | $4.56 | 69c
2 | Soaked shelled corn...| 140 |1.30%b | 442Tb 4.41 | 72¢
3 | Dry corn meal.........| 140 |1.21Ib | 463Ib 4.77 | 66c
4 | Soaked corn meal..... 140 |1.52Tb | 445Tb 4.59 | 69¢c

Corn 10 parts—Meat Meal 1 part.

Hogs weighing around 200 Ib. at start, fed during spring
and summer in dry yards.

| ery: Ca (COP. ooo sade ae | 84 |1.74Tb | 468Ib | $4.65 | 68c
| Soaked shelled corn...| 84 |1.92Ib | 449Tb 4.53 | 70¢
Dry corm ameals. . ci... 84 |1.99Ib | 452Ib 4.71 | 68¢
| Soaked corn meal..... 84 |2.001b | 461Ib | 4.80 | 66c

Corn Alone.
Hogs weighing around 200 Ib. at start fed during summer
on pasture.
Pe Dey ear eur. sen 45 |1.31tb | 5441 | $5.03 | 60c
2 | Soaked shelled corn...| 45 |1.42tb | 504tb | 4.74 | 64¢
Corn 12 parts—Meat Meal 1 part.

Thin sows Weighing around 225 Ib. at start and fed during
fall in dry lot.

Hm CO DD et

1.*4 |: airy ‘Can earns ei eee 56 |2.04Ib | 427Ib | $4.13 | 76c
2 | Soaked shelled corn...| 56 |2.49Ib | 398Ib 3.92 | 81¢
3:3} > Dry. ‘corn, nreal. 3... oe 56 |2.401b | 401Ib 4.08 | 79¢
4 | Soaked corn meal.....| 56 |2.441b | 405Ib 4.13 | 78¢

PREPARATION OF FEEDS 13

when the weather was warm enough to permit soak-
ing.

4. Corn and cob meal is not a practical way to
feed corn to swine. It is not conducive to either
rapid or economical gains. This is due, no doubt, to
the fact that it is too bulky to be utilized in sufficient
quantities by the young pig or more mature hog be-
cause of the relatively small size of their stomachs.

5. In summary, it may be truthfully said that in
the case of hogs under 200 pounds in weight that the
scoop shovel is all that is needed to prepare the corn
for feeding. With hogs over 200 Ibs., in mild weath-
er, soaked shelled corn will produce rapid and econ-
omical gains, thus should be used.

All of the experiments conducted to date, with
the cooking of corn for swine, have shown that it re-
quired a smaller amount of the raw or uncooked corn
than of the cooked corn to produce a hundred pounds
of pork.

Barley. Barley stands next to corn as a feed for
pork production. In many countries it heads the list.
In this country it is usually too high in price as com-
pared with corn. Large amounts of discolored bar-
ley are uséd for swine feeding. Barley, on account
of its hard shell, should be ground and soaked in
preparation for swine feeding. When prepared in
this way the feed is much more palatable and pro-
duces more economical gains than when fed whole
or in the dry ground meal form.

Shorts.. Shorts should be fed in the form of a
rather thick slop for best results.

Wheat. Damaged wheat, when fed with some
other feeding stuffs not to exceed one-third or one-
half of the ration, gives very good results. It may
be fed whole in the dry form, soaked or perhaps the
best results will be obtained when it is crushed and
soaked some 12 hours before being fed.

14 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

Tankage or Meat Meal. These packinghouse pro-
ducts are now very generally used as a protein and
ash supplement to the corn ration. They may be fed
in the dry form but are most relished when mixed
with water in the form of a thin slop. There is also
less waste when fed in the slop form as dry tankage
or meat meal is blown by the hogs, thus some of it

wasted.

‘Rigel dtye should be ground and fed in the form
of a thin slop. The best results are obtained when
not more than one-half of the ration is composed of
rye.

Oats. The method of preparing oats will depend
upon the size and age of the pigs. In the case of
young pigs the oats should be ground and the hulls
sieved out. They may either be fed dry or in the
form of a slop. The latter method is perhaps the
best. For breeding stock, and shotes not being fat-_
tened, whole oats are very valuable feed and may be
scattered on dry ground or on a feeding floor.

Oil Meal. This feed is often fed as a supplement
to some carbonaceous feed such as corn. It is best
to feed it in the form of a thin slop and not to ex-
ceed ten per cent. of the ration.

Cottonseed Meal. It is generally conceded that
cottonseed as now prepared, is poisonous to swine.
Tf fed at all it should be used in very small quantities
and fed in the form of a thin slop.

Gluten Feed. This feed being a by-product of
corn is not so well adapted to add to the corn ration
as some of the other protein feeds, such as meat meal,
tankage or oil meal. Gluten feed should be fed in the
form of a slop as it is lacking from the standpoint
of palatability if fed in the dry form.

Potatoes. All experiments to date clearly indi-
cate that steamed or cooked potatoes are very much
superior to raw potatoes for swine feeding purposes.

PREPARATION OF FEEDS nhs

When fed in this way and mixed with corn, 400 Ibs.
of potatoes are the equivalent of 100 Ibs. corn.

Pumpkins. Careful tests have been made with
the feeding of raw and cooked pumpkins to swine.
The results to date all seem to favor the feeding in
the raw form for best results.

Skim Milk. The most economical way to feed
skim milk or butter milk is to feed 3 tbs. of the milk
to one pound of corn or other grain feed. When
larger amounts of the milk are fed the gains are
smaller and more expensive.

Alfalfa and Clover Hay. Both alfalfa and clover
hay are very useful feeds for breeding swine. If
the hay is cut early and properly cured so as to re.
tain the leaves and have fine stems, it is surprising
the amount of hay the hogs will eat.

It has been found that grinding these feeds has
no advantage over cutting in short lengths and is
very much more expensive. At the Iowa Experi-
ment Station the whole hay proved a very good feed.
Both the alfalfa and clover furnish some protein and
ash matter and have a very favorable influence on
the digestive system. These feeds are very useful
for brood sows during the pregnancy period.

In summarizing the advantages and disadvant-
ages of preparing feed for swine, the whole question
resolves itself around three main points. Does the
preparation increase the digestibility of the same?
Does the preparation increase the palatability of the
ration so as to insure heavier daily gains? Will
these advantages be marked enough to warrant the
additional expense involved in preparing the feed?

16 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION .
CHAPTER III
Feed, Care and Management of the

Brood Sow

We must pay more and more attention to the
feed, care and management of our brood sows. That
the health of the sows, the strength, size and condi-
tion of pigs at birth and even the size of the litter,
to some extent, are influenced and even governed
very largely by the feeding of the sows previous to
breeding time and during the pregnancy period is
now an established fact. Good results, or good luck
as is often claimed, follow intelligent methods of
feeding and management of the brood sow. The
cheapest ration from the standpoint of the cost of
the feed consumed, is not always the most economi-
cal. The number of pigs raised and the condition of
the same at weaning time, are important factors to
be considered in this connection. A good healthy
bunch of pigs at weaning time open up the brightest
and most profitable market ever known to the corn
belt farmer for his corn crop.

The feeding and management of the brood sow
varies with the age and condition of the sow. This
leads up to another question. Which is the better,
young or mature sows for breeding purposes? All
experimental work shows conclusively that larger lit-
ters, larger individual pigs and much stronger pigs
at birth are always secured when mature sows are
used. Where two litters per year are raised, ma-
ture sows are always the most profitable mothers.
If but one litter per year is reared the younger sows
have stronger claims. This is due to the fact that
they are kept growing from birth until marketed.
As soon as the litters are weaned the sows are put
in the fattening lot and made ready for market.

MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD SOW

A GOOD HEAD AND BACK

18 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

Young sows, such as the vast majority of our.
farmers keep for breeding purposes, should receive
rations fairly rich in protein and ash as they are
adapted to body growth and the general good health
of the sow. Older sows, especially if they are thin
in flesh, do not require as much protein in their ra-
tions. They should be gradually increased in flesh,
not made fat however, so as to have them in good
condition for the suckling period which is always
a severe drain on the system. Both young and old
sows should have ample opportunity for exercise as
it is fundamental to both the health and strength of
the mother and the unborn young.

The vast majority of our people do not furnish
their brood sows, especially young sows, with a suf-
ficient amount of protein and ash constituents in
their rations. These compounds are absolutely nee-
essary in the proper development of the unborn pig.
Its body is composed almost solely of three com-
pounds, water, protein and ash. These must be
furnished the mother in sufficient quantities to in-
sure the best results at farrowing time and during
the suckling period as they are the chief source of
the milk supply. A ration comopsed of corn alone is
Jacking in both protein and ash matter.

EARLY OR LATE LITTERS

There is much diversity of opinion in regard to
the most desirable time to have the sows farrow.
There are many who advocate having the sows far-
row during March or the early part of April. Others,
and they are by no means in the minority, claim that
May is the ideal time for the young pigs to arrive.
There are many good arguments on both sides of
this question. It must be settled by each individual
as the question of suitable quarters and cold weather
accommodations are of vital importance.

MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD SOW 19

The man who has warm pens and suitable feed
can handle early pigs to good advantage. He must
be prepared to keep the little fellows warm even in
zero or below zero weather. When pigs reach two or
three weeks of age, they are able to withstand con-
siderable cold but very young pigs are very delicate,
thus perish very soon in cold quarters. These early
pigs, when given a good start, have considerable ad- .
vantage over May pigs in that they may be market-
ed during the late fall or early winter months. They
are also better able to utilize early forage crops such
as alfalfa or clover. If fall litters are desired, the
sows may be re-bred in time to secure early Septem-
ber pigs. The chief disadvantages to March pigs are
the additional labor required at farrowing time,
heavy loss of pigs during cold weather unless hous-
ing conditions are very favorable, the difficulty in
furnishing the sows with proper rations to insure a
liberal flow of milk and the prevalence of thumps
and other troubles which are apt to attack the young
pigs, due to lack of fresh air and exercise.

Pigs farrowed during the month of May seldom
cause the owners much worry or trouble. The sows
ean be out of doors, thus secure sufficient pasture to
cool the system and stimulate a good flow of milk.
Except in the case of real wet weather, when some of
the litter may be drowned, there is not much likli-
hood of any heavy losses at farrowing time. Artific-
ial conditions are largely replaced by the more nat-
ural conditions and nature generally takes good care
of her own.

The chief disadvantages to these late eens are
that the pigs must be carried through the major
portion of the winter season, else be sold below the
average market weights for good fat hogs and these
young pigs are not ready to handle early forage
crops to good advantage.

20 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

FEEDING SOWS PREVIOUS TO AND
DURING BREEDING SEASON

That it pays to feed the sows on the right kind
of rations previous to and during the breeding sea-
son can not be disputed. The gilt or sow that is in
a good healthy, vigorous condition at breeding time
is much more likely to settle to the first service than
the sow that is over fat or receiving insufficient nour-
ishment. There is also no doubt but that the general
vigor and health of both the sire and the dam at
mating time has much to do with the size of the lit-
ter. Good hog men, the world over, have long since
recognized the truth of the above statements. These
conditions can be brought about only by proper feed-
ing and furnishing a liberal amount of exercise. It
pays to start right in any line of business and espe-
cially in the hog business.

In the case of gilts, they should be in good grow-
ing condition. They should be building up the body
frame work. This requires a bone and muscle pro-
ducing ration. Corn alone is not sufficient. It is too
much of a fat former and does not contain enough
of the protein and ash compounds. Corn, on aec-
count of its relative cheapness in the corn belt states,
should constitute the major part of the ration. Some
form of supplement, fairly rich in both protein and
ash constituents, should be added in sufficient quan-
tities to properly balance the ration. When skim
milk and butter milk are available, they both make
excellent adjuncts to the corn ration. Wheat shorts,
to the extent of one-third of the ration, will also
give good results. At the Iowa Station the most sat-
isfactory rations used, both from the standpoint of
economy and general influence on the sows, were
corn 8 parts and meat meal 1 part; corn 8 parts,
short 3 parts and either tankage or meat meal 1 part.

MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD SOW

A CONVENIENT FORM OF MOVABLE HOUSE

29 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

While both clover hay and alfalfa have been relished
by the sows, we have never been able in the case of
gilts, to get them to eat enough of these feeds to prop-
erly balance the corn ration. The main object
should be to feed the sows or gilts in such a way as
to insure good health and a well developed body
frame work.

FEEDING DURING PREGNANCY PERIOD

It has long since been a well established fact that
a pig which has been stunted during the suckling
period seldom, if ever, makes profitable gains during
the fattening period. Recent investigations have
shown that this stunting process may occur even be-
fore the pig is born. The manner in which the brood
sow is handled during the period of pregnancy de-
termines, in a large measure, the vigor, size and con-
dition of the young at birth. Thus we see the im-
portance of the right kind of treatment of the moth-
er during pregnancy to insure good results.

While good breeding is indispensible in the prop-
er development of swine, still good feeding is fully
as important. Obesrvation and experience teaches
us that good feeding and good breeding are insepar-
able essentials in the securing of ideal development.
The best bred animals are more likely to fail in the
hands of the careless feeder than the more common
bred animals in the hands of the good caretaker.

Recent investigations at the Iowa Experiment
Station have shown clearly that the rations fed the
pregnant sows effect, in a large degree, the size, vig-
or, condition and general thrift of the offsrping.
Practical hog men have long since learned that there
is a right and wrong way to feed and care for the
pregnant sow. It is now generally recognized that
corn alone is not an efficient ration for the produc-
tion of strong, healthy, well developed pigs.. The

MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD SOW 23

problem is to find a suitable supplement to corn as
it is our cheapest source of digestible nutrients.

Mature sows should be fed in such a way as to
insure a good healthy condition and to avoid any
tendency to being over fat. A fat sow is seldom if
ever a profitable mother. In the case of gilts they
should be fed on rations conducive to good body
growth. Here again fatness is very objectionable.
The properly nourished gilt should gain at least one-
half pound daily during the pregnancy period. She
should show good body growth. Her coat of hair
should present a healthy appearance. If she is dis-
contented it is a sure indication that there is some-
thing lacking in the ration furnished.

Some recent investigations conducted at the lowa
Experiment Station in the feeding of gilts are of in-
terest to the corn belt farmer. A bunch of gilts of
uniform breeding size and condition were divided
into some five lots to test the efficiency of five differ-
ent rations. Lot I was fed on ear corn alone. Lot
II was fed ear corn 29 parts and meat meal 1 part.
Lot III was fed ear corn 7'% parts and meat meal 1
part. Lot IV was fed ear corn. and clover hay in
racks. Lot V was fed ear corn and alfalfa hay in
racks.

Av.Init- | Shelled Av.
Lot Ration ial wt. | corn eat- ower eat daily
per gilt}en daily y _ gain
I | Ear Corn. 209 lb. | 3.65 1b. None 854 Ib.

II | EarCorn29parts

Meat meal 1 part} 210 lb. | 3.21 1b. |Meat meal.127tb| .582 Ib.
III | Earcorn7!4part
Meat meal 1 part} 200 1b. | 2.75 lb. |Meat meal.432 tb} .635 lb.
IV | Ear corn and :
Whole Clover. 200 lb. | 3.6716. | Clover .302ib | .528 Ib.
V | Ear corn and
Whole Alfalfa | 211 1b. | 3.74 1b. | Alfalfa 1.106tb | .627 lb.

The foregoing table, which gives the initial
weights of each lot, the average amount of corn eat-

24 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

en per day per.sow (ear corn being reduced to shell-
ed corn basis), the average amount of each supple-
ment eaten per sow per day and the average daily
gain per sow and during the pregnancy period should
be both interesting and helpful.

It will be noted that the gilts getting the ear corn
alone made the lightest daily gains while those get-
ting ear corn 714 parts and meat meal 1 part made
the heaviest daily gains. It was very noticeable all
through the test that the gilts in Lot I on ear corn
alone, were very restless. They were always root-
ing and apparently looking for something to satisfy
their appetites. Those in the other lots, and more
especially Lot III fed on ear corn 714 parts and meat
meal 1 part, presented a thrifty, sleek-coated appear-
ance and were always quiet and restful in behavior,
indicating that their body wants were satisfied.

What were the results at farrowing time? The
following table giving the number of pigs farrowed,
the average weight of the litters, the average weight
per pig and the number of pigs saved per sow at
weaning time is of interest. Especial attention
should be given to the average size of pig at birth
and the number saved at weaning time.

The above table shows that in average size of
litter at birth that Lot I fed on ear corn was above

- MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD SOW 25

the average but in average weight per pig and in
number of pigs saved at weaning time it was much
below the general average. Lot III fed on ear cron
712 parts and meat meal 1 part, is again in the lead.
Here we find the largest litter at birth, the second
highest average weight of pigs at birth and clearly
the largest number of pigs saved at weaning time.
Lot V fed on ear corn and alfalfa again ranks a close
second. While the average number of pigs farrowed
in the alfalfa lot and the ear corn lot was the same,
there is a marked contrast in the average weight of
the pigs and the number reared at weaning time in
favor of the lot fed on alfalfa and corn. The clover
and corn lot also made a very good showing.

The condition and vigor of the pigs at birth is
an interesting study. The following table gives the
percentages of strong, medium, weak and dead pigs
at birth in each of the lots fed on the various rations.

The above table shows clearly that the ration fed
the mother has a marked influene upon the vitality
of the new born pigs. The pigs from the sows in Lot
I, fed on ear corn alone, had the least vitality. The
pigs classed as weak were really very largely runts.
Lot III fed on ear corn 71% parts and meat meal 1
part, is again in the lead. It is not necessary to argue
the importance of having strong pigs at birth.

26 PROFITABLH PORK PRODUCTION

Every man, who has raised hogs, appreciates this
point. |

In the above test meat meal, a packing house by-
product, has given excellent results. The writer has
every reason to believe that a good grade of tankage
would give equally as good results. They are both
packing house by-products and for all practical feed-
ing purposes there appears to be but little, if any
difference in their relative feeding values for brood
sows or fattening hogs, when fed with corn. That we
should always feed some form of protein and ash
supplement to the corn ration for brood sows has
been thoroughly demonstrated. The younger the
sow the more necessary that we have a good supply
of both protein and ash compounds. The rations
given in this connection are very satisfactory. They
may or may not be the best under all conditions.
Some other feeding stuffs may furnish both protein
and ash compounds cheaper and perhaps with better
results. Oil meal has been used by many hog men.
It must be fed very carefully and not to exceed ten
per cent. of the ration, else abortion may follow its
use. When fed in moderate amounts, it gives very
good results. It keeps the digestive system in good
condition and seems to insure good health of the sow.
Wheat shorts are a very good feed when not too high
in price. Corn, however, in the corn belt states,
should constitute the major portion of the ration be-
cause it is the cheapest and most highly digestible
feed available. All swine men must provide some
good supplemental feed rich in both protein and ash
matter, to add to the corn ration to insure the best
results at farrowing time.

FEEDING AT FARROWING TIME

Sows receiving well balanced rations during the
pregnancy period, do not, as a rule, require a great

MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD SOW “27

deal of add itional attention at farrowing time. Keep
the sow’s digestive organs in good natural condi-
tion. Three or four days previous to farrowing, it
is a good idea to reduce the grain allowance and
feed a rather thin slop. Some wheat shorts or wheat
bran are very good to mix with the water, as they
both exert a favorable influence on the digestive or-
gans. Every precaution should be taken to prevent
a feverish condition of the sow at this time. Any
tendency towards constipation is lable to cause a
heated condition of the body. Some very successful
swine raisers feed from 3 to 5 ozs. of Epsom salts
about two days before farrowing. This is done to
cool out the system. Sows that are feverish are
much more likely to be vicious than those in good
condition. Where some oil meal, bran, roots or the
leaves of either alfalfa or clover hay are fed, there
is seldom any trouble due to an over heated condi-
tion of the body system. It is not a good idea to
increase the rations until at least four or five days
after farrowing. This gives the sow a chance to re-
cover before the milk flow arrives.

Farrowine ‘me needs but little attention when
the sows are o':t of doors in a grass lot. The mother
usually makes her own bed and all is well. With
early pigs in the hog house it is different. The pen
should be warm as little pigs can not withstand much
cold weather. Either chaff or cut straw should be
furnished as bedding. Long straw tangles the little
fellows up, thus oftentimes causes the mother to lie
on top of them. A fender about six inches wide
should be placed around the wall about six or eight
inches from the floor. This will prevent the sow from
erushing the little ones against the wall. In real
cold weather it is a good idea to keep the little pigs
in a nice warm basket with artificial heat and cov-
ered up to protect them from the cold, except at in-

28 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

tervals of every three or four hours during the day,
when they are allowed to nurse. This additional
care need only be given for four or five days.

FEEDING DURING SUCKLING PERIOD

As soon as the sow has recovered from her far-
rowing troubles, which usually takes from three to
five days, the ration should be gradually increased.
The more milk the sow gives, the faster will her
pigs grow, providing they have sufficient exercise to
prevent thumps. This requires liberal feeding on
rations of a highly concentrated nature. Where
skim milk is available it will be found very useful at
this time. The following rations have given very
good results. Corn meal 7 parts and meat meal or
tankage 1 part in the form of a slop; corn meal 2
parts, wheat shorts 1 part and skim milk enough to
make a rather thin slop; corn meal 6 parts, wheat
shorts 3 parts and oil meal 1 part, fed in the form of
a slop; corn meal 1 part, ground barley 1 part and
ground oats 1 part, fed in the form of a slop com-
posed of either skim milk or water; corn meal 1
part and ground oats 1 part fed in a skim milk slop;
ground barley 3 parts and wheat shorts 2 parts fed
in a slop; ground barley and skim milk fed in a slop;
ground barley 4 parts, ground oats 3 parts and eith-
er-meat meal or tankage 1 part fed in the form of a
slop. Many other rations might be mentioned but
the above list ought to be sufficient. Feed each sow
what she will eat up clean at least three times daily
during the first five weeks of the suckling period.
By the time the young pigs are two and a half or
three weeks old they ought to be encouraged to eat
some grain feed. Where skim milk is available, a
mixture of shorts and skim milk, ground barley and
skim milk or sieved oats and skim milk is very ap-
petizing. Soon a little soaked shelled corn scattered

FORAGE CROPS. AND SUMMER FEEDING 29

on the feeding floor will appeal to the little fellows.
Encourage them to eat and have them ready to
wean by the time they are seven or eight weeks old.

It is very important that well fed young pigs be
given a liberal amount of exercise. If not provided
with exercise they are liable to become too fat and
may die from thumps, or other troubles. Where it
is impossible to give plenty of exercise it is then nec-
essary to cut down the sow’s ration so as to decrease
the milk flow.

Too much attention cannot be given the sow and
her young during this stage of the little pig’s life.
A pig that is well born and well fed during the suck-
ling period usually pays good dividends to his owner.

CHAPTER IV

Forage Crops and Summer Feeding
of Swine

Every swine raiser must utilize more and more
some of the various forms of forage crops in the
growing and developing of his pig crop. This has
been clearly proven by extensive investigations at
the lowa Experiment Station, covering a period of
five years during which time almost two thousand
head of pigs were grown and fattened for market.
Corn, in the ear form was fed in conjunction with
each form of forage crop. These experiments
brought out very clearly the following points:

1. That the forage feeding system of growing
and fattening young hogs offers great inducements
to hog raisers. An acre of good corn belt land when
devoted to forage crops, with corn at 50 eents per
bushel and hogs at $5.00 per ewt., should return

30 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

from $30.00 to $60.00 profit when grazed with spring
pigs. Alfalfa; rape; clover; oats, clover and rape;
oats, peas and rape and sweet clover all give very
good results.

2. That the amount of pork produced by an acre
of forage crops varies in accordance with the kind
of the crop, the amount of grain fed and the age of
the hogs used. With spring pigs it ranges from
‘about 350 pounds on blue grass and timothy to over
1400 pounds in the case of rape. The other forms
of forage crops previously mentioned all range high.
Where fairly mature hogs are used, averaging over
200 pounds in weight, the pork returns are very
much lower ranging from 50 to a trifle over 300
pounds per acre.

3. That the cost of a hundred pounds of gain,
all expenses included with corn at 50 cents per
bushel, on young pigs with best forages such as alf-
alfa, rape and the clovers, runs from $2.88 to $3.96
per cwt. In the case of older and heavier hogs the
cost of gains ranged from $4.23 to $5.31 per ewt.

4. That the dry lot system of feeding young pigs
is very slow and expensive as compared with the
forage crop plan.

). That heavy old hogs, well grown and weigh-
ing 200 pounds or more, make as rapid and econom-
ical gains in dry lots as on forage crops.

6. That blue grass and timothy is not an efficient
hog pasture. Both of these grasses are deficient in
both protein and ash matter for best results, espe-
clally with young pigs.

7. That alfalfa is our greatest permanent hog
forage. The cheapest pork produced was made on
alfalfa pasture at a cost of $2.88 per ewt., corn cost-
ing 50 cents per bushel.

8. That rape is a superior emergency crop. It
may be sown practically any time during the grow-

FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 3i

ing season up until August. The largest total gains
and the largest acre profits were made upon rape.
Red clover is about the equal of rape as a swine for-
age crop. Clover does not last as well as the rape
during the fall months.

9. That oats, rape and clover, and oats, peas and
rape are both very useful forage crops.

10. That sweet clover in its first year of growth
is equal to red clover, but during the second year the
plant becomes too woody for best results.

11. That green rye is very useful as an early
spring and late fall pasture. Ripe rye should not
be used as a pasture crop for hogs.

12. That an ideal forage crop for hogs should
possess the following points:

(1). Adaptability to local soil and climatic con-
ditions.

(2). Palatability, that is it must be relished by
the hogs.

(3). A heavy yielder, it must be rich in protein
and ash matter to balance up the corn ration.

(4). It must be succulent and last throughout the
entire grazing season. Some crops are good only
during the spring and early summer months, thus
furnish no fall pasture.

(5). Permanency is very desirable as in the case
of alfalfa.

(6). Be capable of furnishing quick pasture at
any time during the growing season. These essen-
tials are not all found in any one crop but alfalfa,
the clovers and rape furnish the most of them.

In discussing the various kinds of forage crops
each will be considered separately.

ALFALFA

Where alfalfa can be grown, and it can be grown
successfully in most sections, it is one of the most

32 | PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

valuable forage crops known to the swine grower.
It is rich in both protein and ash matter, thus affords
an excellent supplement to the corn ration. From
the standpoint of palatability it is second to no other
crop. In permanency it leads the list.. From the
standpoint of furnishing a pasture throughout the
entire season it is exceptionally good. When sown
during the month of August it affords an early for-
age crops for the next spring. It must be grown on
well drained land, not subject to overflow, as either
ice or water will kill out the crop. While it does
very well on fairly light soil, still the best results
are always obtained from rich land.

The cheapest gains ever made at the lowa Ex-
periment Station with young pigs, were with alfalfa
pasture and ear corn. These gains cost $2.88 per
ewt. when all expenses were considered, corn valued
at 50 cents per bushel.

From May 19th until November 15th a period of
180 days, the alfalfa pasture carried about 17 pigs
to the acre. These pigs averaged 18.75 pounds each
at the beginning and a trifle over 168 pounds each
at the conclusion of the work. These pigs were fed
an average daily grain ration of 4.05 pounds per hun-
dred pounds live weight, in addition to the alfalfa
pasture. They made an average daily gain of 1.048
pounds each during the entire period at a cost of
$2.88 per ewt. The amount of pork accredited to an
acre of alfalfa was 865.5 pounds. In addition to this
3837 pounds of alfalfa hay, valued at $15,00 per ton,
$28.75 was harvested from the ground. Valuing the
pork at $5.00 per ewt. and the hay at $15.00 per ton
the net returns from the acre of alfalfa were $72.02.
With pork at $6.00 per ewt. and hay at $15.00 per
ton the returns from an acre of alfalfa would be
$80.68. ,

FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 33

RAPE

As a forage crop for swine Dwarf Essex rape is
coming into quite general use. All of the experi-
ments at the lowa Experiment Station clearly dem-
onstrate the value of this crop. There are two kinds
of rape, one known as the summer or bird seed rape
and the other as the winter annual or biennial rape.
Dwarf Essex is a variety of the winter annual and
should always be used as it gives excellent results.
The bird seed or summer rape should never be used
in this section of the country as it is useless for graz-
ing purposes.

The advantages of rape are many. Pasture may
be furnished at any time during the growing season
as rape seed may be sown from early spring until late
summer. Rape is especially helpful in tiding over
the dry months of July and August when blue grass
pastures are hard and unpalatable. When the rape
seed is sown early in April the pasture will be avail-
able about the first week in June. Ordinarily rape
pasture will be ready from six to eight weeks after
sowing. The pasture usually lasts from the first of
June until early in November as it will keep growing
until the heavy fall frosts come.

The expense of seeding is light as from four to
six pounds of seed per acre are used. When drilled
in four pounds is enough but when sown broadcast
six pounds should be used. The seed costs from six
to eight cents per pound. Most soils produce very
good crops when sown to this forage. Land which
is well suited to corn production makes very excel-
lent soil for rape. Sandy soil has the objection of
drying out too quickly thus a light crop during the
hot dry months when most needed.

Rape may be sown either by the broadcast or
drilled method. Drilling the rape in rows about

PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

CONVERTING RAPE INTO PORK

FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 35

eight inches apart is a very commendable way to
seed. Some sow it broadcast with very good result-
ing crop yields but drilling will give a much more
uniform stand and a better subsequent growth.
Planting in rows from twenty-four to thirty inches
apart and cultivating two or three times during the
season is practiced by some successful farmers. This
method is advisable on weedy foul land. It also
helps to conserve the moisture on light soil.

How should rape be pastured? The hogs should
not be turned on until the plants are from ten to
fourteen inches high. Heavy stocking early in the
season should be avoided. The rape should never be
eaten so closely as to leave the bare stalks remain-
ing. When it is pastured down to four or five leaves
to the stalk the hogs should be taken out to give the
plants a chance to recuperate. The best plan to fol-
low is to have just enough pigs so as to allow the
growth of rape to keep ahead of the pigs rather than
to have it eaten too closely. About the middle of
October the rape lots should be heavily stocked so
as to have the entire crop eaten down before the
severe November frosts wilt the same.

During the season of 1911, which was a very dry
one, Dwarf Essex rape drilled in rows eight inches
apart gave the following results at the lowa Eixperi-
ment Station. The rape was sown on April 18th and
the pigs were turned onto the same on June 13th.
From June 13th until September 11th, a period of
ninety days, one acre of rape carried 27 pigs aver-
aging 25 pounds each at the beginning and 79.8
pounds at the end. On account of the large amount
of forage on the ground the number of hogs was
increased on September 11th to 54 head, weighing
81.3 Ib. each, per acre. This number was continued
until November 20th, a period of seventy days, at
the end of which time the hogs weighed 177.7 pounds

36 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

each. These pigs were fed in addition 4.286 pounds
of a grain mixture for each one hundred pounds live
weight. The grain mixture was composed of ear
corn 19 parts and meat meal 1 part. They made an
average daily gain of 1.076 pounds each for the
entire period at a cost of $3.91 per ewt. with corn at
50 cents per bushel and meat meal at $50.00 per ton.
The amount of pork accredited to an acre of rape
was 1438 pounds at $5.00 per ewt, would be worth
$71.90. Thus we can readily see the importance of
rape as a forage crop for young and growing pigs.
These returns are very high. No difficulty should be
experienced in securing from 600 to 900 pounds of
pork from an acre of rape.

CLOVER—MEDIUM RED

Medium red clover is the chief leguminous pas-
ture and hay crop of the middle west. This clover
is called medium red to distinguish it from the larg-
er, more rank growing mammoth clover. It isa
biennial, but sometimes lasts three or four years by
reseeding itself from the second crop. Clover furn-
ishes a nitrogenous pasture. It is fairly rich in both
protein and ash matter ,thus is very valuable in bal-
ancing up the corn ration. It is much superior to
either blue grass or timothy as a hog pasture and is
almost the equal of alfalfa.

The chief disadvantage of clover is the uncer-
tainty of securing a good stand. It cannot withstand
drought like alfalfa, rape or sweet clover. This is
especially true of the second crop.

Early pasturing is oftentimes the cause of its be-
ing killed out. It is not a wise plan to turn hogs on
medium red clover until it has made a good growth,
which is generally about the last week in May or the
first week in June. Ripe clover is not relished by the
hogs. Clipping sometimes helps by freshening up

FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 37

the growth. This is especially true if moisture con-
ditions are favorable. When clover is in full bloom
it is most relished by hogs. At this time it is often
noticed that the hogs will eat somewhat less corn
because of their preference for the clover blossoms.

Tests at the Iowa Experiment Station have
shown clover to be a very valuable forage crop for
swine. Pigs fed on clover pasture and an average
daily grain ration of ear corn of 3.64 pounds per
hundred pounds live weight gave the following re-
sults: From June 4th until November 16th, a period
of 165 days, an acre of medium red clover pasture
carried 14 pigs. These pigs averaged 33.4 pounds
each at the beginning and 218.6 pounds each at the
conclusion of the test. They made an average daily
gain of 1.075 pounds each at an average cost of $3.69
per cwt. when corn was worth 50 cents per bushel.
The amount of pork accredited to an acre of clover
was 7609 pounds at $5.00 per ewt. would be worth
$38.25. This is a very good return when we consider
the small amount of labor involved in the care and
preparation of the land.

OATS, MEDIUM RED CLOVER AND RAPE

The combination of certain crops offers some ad-
vantages in the growing of a forage for swine. A
variety of plants in a forage crop for hogs is desir-
able because if the crops are rightly chosen a large
yield is possible and in addition the mixture is more
palatable than a single crop. At the Iowa Experi-
ment Station a mixture of common field oats, medium
red clover and Dwarf Hssex rape has proven to be
a very valuable forage. The oats and rape in this
forage take the lead in growth and furnish an early
feed. The oats head, some of the grains ripen, and
later fall to the ground to produce a fall growth.
The rape, if not too heavily pastured, persists

38 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

throughout the year. The clover usually comes on
toward the latter part of favorable seasons, and if
the rape is eaten down, grows well and furnishes
considerable pasture. If the season is very dry the
clover will not amount to much. Barley may be used
in place of the oats with very good results. Late
varieties of either the oats or the barley should be
used. Sow from one to one and one-fourth bushels
of oats, eight pounds of clover seed and three pounds
of rape seed per acre.

The above crop mixture has given very food re-
sults at the lowa Station. Pigs fed on a forage crop
consisting of oats, rape and medium red clover with
an average daily grain allowance of £ pounds per
hundred pounds live wetzht gave the following re-
sults. From June 23rd until Nov. 17, a period of
147 days, an acre of the above mixture carried 16
pigs. The pigs averaged 25.8 pounds each at the be-
ginning and 160.2 pounds each at the conclusion of
the test. They made an average daily gain of .914
pounds for the entire period at a cost of $3.56 per
ewt. when corn was worth 50 cents per bushel. The
amount of pork accredited to an acre was 795
pounds at $5.00 per ewt. would be worth $39.75. This
is an excellent emergeney crop. In several instances
we have secured a very good stand of clover the fol-
lowing year, where such a combination was used.

OATS, CANADIAN FIELD PEAS AND RAPE

The three common crops, oats, Canadian field
peas and Dwarf Essex rape, when sown together
make a very useful forage crop for hogs. This crop
is especially well adapted to the middle and northern
states as the Canadian field pea does not do well in
the south. Early seeding is preferable to late seed-
ing. Some recommend sowing the peas first and the
oats and rape about ten days later. When handled

FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 39

in this way the peas may be either drilled or plowed
in to the depth of some three or four inches and the
other crops put in-about two inches deep in a week
or ten days time. Sowing the entire mixture of
oats, peas and rape at one drilling has been practiced
very successfully at the lowa Station. The rate of
seeding varies, but a combination of one bushel of
peas, one bushel of oats and three pounds of the
Dwarf Essex rape seed, drilled in has given good re-
‘sults and the writer feels safe in recommending. the
same to hog men.

At the Iowa Station an acre of oats, Canadian
field peas and rape, in conjunction with an average
daily grain ration of 3.92 pounds per hundred pounds
live weight carried 16 pigs for 147 days. The pigs
averaged 25.8 pounds each at the beginning of the
work on June 23rd and weighed 152 pounds each at
the conclusion of the test on November 17th. The
pigs made an average daily gain of .86 pounds at a
cost of $3.91 per ewt. with corn at 50 cents per
bushel. The amount of pork aceredited to an acre of
the forage crops was 657 pounds at $5.00 per ewt.
would be worth $32.85. This crop was very palatable
and could be used to good advantage when more per-
manent forms of forage are not available.

SWEET CLOVER

Sweet clover is a legume, belonging to the same
family of plants as medium red clover, alfalfa. soy
beans, cow peas and other useful corn belt nitrogen
gatherers. In common with other legumes, sweet
clover does best upon soils which are rich in lime.
The plant itself is rich in lime, thus an excellent hog
feed in that it furnishes one of the main constituents
of bone. ,

The better corn lands are exceptionally well
adapted to sweet clover culture. This plant will

40 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

make remarkable growth upon clayey and stony hill-
sides. It will grow and do very well on a soil that
is ordinarily too wet for alfalfa. Along the road-
sides where the soil is hard it grows in abundance.

A seeding of sweet clover will last only two years
unless the clover is allowed to reseed in the second
year of its growth. Being a short biennial, the pas-
ture furnished the second season will not ordinarily
be as good as that furnished the first year. To in-
sure new growth in the pasture every year it is ad-
visable to make an extra seeding in the early spring
following the first year’s planting. Little difficulty
will be found in eradicating sweet clover, as it will
naturally die out if not allowed to produce seed.

Different people advocate different methods of
sowing sweet clover. Some say sow it in the fall,
others recommend the early spring months, others
say in April or May with nurse crops. At the lowa
Station the sweet clover plots were seeded in the
spring, alone, at the rate of 18 pounds of hulled seed
per acre. The growth came on well and no difficulty
was encountered in securing a good stand.

A bitter principle called cumarin is present in
sweet clover. Animals when eating the forage crop
for the first time are inclined not to relish it because
of the bitter taste, but if confined so that they can
eat no other green feed, soon find the clover palat-
able. The hogs prefer the green leaves and the ten-
der portions of the stems. Sweet clover should be
pastured fairly close. If allowed to grow high it
becomes woody and unpalatable. If the hogs do not
keep it down, it should be clipped as it is the new
growth which appeals to the appetite of the hog.
The crop furnishes a very good pasture the first year
but is inclined to become hard and woody during the
second season.

At the Iowa Station an acre of sweet clover seed-

FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 41

ed on April 4th in conjunction with an average
daily grain ration of 3.96 pounds per hundred pounds
live weight carried 22 pigs for 141 days. The pigs
averaged about 38 pounds each at the beginning of
the test on June 22nd and weighed 182 pounds each
at the conclusion of the same on November 10th.
The pigs made an average daily gain of 1.022 pounds
at a cost of $3.70 per ewt. when corn was worth 50
cents per bushel. The amount of pork accredited to
an acre of sweet clover was 854 pounds at $5.00 per
ewt. would be worth $42.70. The writer does not, at
this time, recommend the growing of sweet clover
for swine forage purposes upon those soils which are
well adapted to the growing of alfalfa. The sweet
clover stands close pasturing better than alfalfa and
will grow on harder soils and under more adverse
conditions.

BLUE GRASS AND TIMOTHY

Kentucky blue grass is the permanent pasture
grass of lowa and many other corn belt states. This
grass is more firmly entrenched on clay lands than
where the soil is inclined to be sandy. The great
advantage of this grass is that it is an extremely
hardy and permanent perennial. It furnishes an
earlv as well as a late pasture.

The chief disadvantage of this grass is the dry
sparse pasturage furnished during the hot summer
months of July and August. This is the ‘‘resting
stage’’ of the blue grass, thus some additional form
of forage crop should be supplied to tide the hogs
through this period.

Timothy, outside of the legumes, is the standard
hay grass of the corn belt section. It is used to a
considerable extent in the earlier stages of establish-
ing a stand of blue grass. Like the blue grass it is
lacking in both protein and ash matter from the

42 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

standpoint of an ideal forage crop for swine. Where
such pasture is used a liberal allowance of protein
and ash matter should be supplied in the grain
ration.

At the Iowa Station an acre of blue grass and
timothy in the relative approximate proportions of
7) per cent blue grass and 25 per cent timothy was
used for swine grazing purposes. In conjunction
with the same was fed an average daily grain allow-
ance of 3.68 pounds per hundred pounds live weight
of the pigs. This combination carried 14 pigs for
165 days. The pigs averaged 33.5 pounds each at
the beginning of the test on June 4th and weighed
161 pounds each at the conclusion of the work on
November 16th. The pigs made an average daily
gain of .723 pounds at a cost of $4.09 per ewt. when
corn was worth 50 cents per bushel. The amount of
pork accredited to an acre of blue grass and timothy
was 378 pounds at $5.00 per cwt. would be worth
$18.90. The combination of blue grass and timothy
should be used only when other forms of forage
erops are not available. When used the grain ration
should be fairly rich in both protein and ash matter
to insure good daily gains.

RYE

Rye furnishes a very good late fall and early
spring pasture. The laxative nature of green rye is
quite pronounced. We have had considerable dif-
fieulty with scouring when the green rye was pas-
tured with shotes or newly weaned pigs. To counter-
act the loosening tendency of this ration the addition
of a tablespoonful of blood meal in the case of shotes
and a teaspoonful in the case of smaller pigs, is of
much value.

Tests made at the Iowa Station have shown that
the practice of ‘‘hogging down’’ ripe rye is very

HOGGING DOWN CORN 43

wasteful. The hogs made very light gains and the
net returns in pork per bushel of rye were not more
than one-third of the market value of the rye.

All of the tests at the Iowa Station have shown
conclusively that the cheapest way to grow and fat-
ten pigs, ranging from 20 to 175 pounds each in
weight ,was through the use of forage crops and a
moderate grain allowance. The cost of the gains
varied with the different crops used and the weight
of the pigs.

In all cases of hogs weighing 175 pounds and up-
wards, the use of forage crops has not shown such
favorable results. In many instances the 200-pound
hogs have made heavier daily gains and relatively
cheaper gains when fed on suitable grain rations in
the dry lot. This would indicate that while the
young and growing pig is well adapted to utilize
forage crops for the greater part of its ration, the
older and more mature hog gives its greatest and
most economical returns when fed on highly concen-
trated feeding stuffs like corn, when properly sup-
plemented with feeding stuffs rich in protein and
minéral matter.

CHAPTER V
Hogsing Down Corn

The labor problem is an important one on every
farm. Any method of farming which will lessen the
amount of labor required and at the same time in-
sure economical results, must commend itself to the
busy man. One of the most economical and useful
labor saving devices in the harvesting of the corn

44 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

crop is the hog. The practice of ‘‘hogging down’’
corn is not a new idea. It was practiced by many
successful men twenty-five and thirty years ago.
It lost favor for a while because some people ridi-
culed the practice as being wasteful. It was then
considered shiftless and something which represent-
ed the lazy man and not the successful, up-to-date
farmer.

Things have changed in recent years. Every la-
bor-saving machine within the reach of the average
man is now used. Experiment stations have tested
the efficiency of the hog as a means of harvesting the
corn crop. The results of these tests have not shown
that ‘‘hogging down’’ corn is wasteful and a part
of shiftless farming operations. Quite the opposite
is true. Experiments at both the Iowa and Minne-
sota Experiment Stations have clearly proven the
hog to be the most economical corn harvester yet
invented. It has been found that the hog will husk
the corn and distribute the manure on the ground
and in addition return as large, and oftentimes a
larger number of pounds of pork per bushel of corn,
than where man husks the corn and feeds it to the
hog. Thus there is an immediate saving of from
5 to 8 cents per bushel to say nothing of having the
manure evenly distributed on the land. Station
tests and reports from farmers in different sections
of the country show returns from $30.00 to $65.00
per acre of corn when hogs sell for $6.00 per ewt.
The man who once adopts this method of harvesting
the corn crop nearly always makes it an annual prac-
tice on his farm.

KINDS OF CORN AND SUPPLEMENTS TO USE

While the pigs make heavier daily gains and, as
a rule, larger net returns per acre when fed just the
corn alone as compared with dry lot feeding, still

HOGGING DOWN CORN 45

the best results are always obtained when some addi-
tional feed, rich in protein and ash matter, is added
to the ration. In many instances the net returns per
_ aere have been increased from 25. to 30 per cent by
the addition of a small allowance of meat meal. Var-
ious kinds of forage crops have also been used to
good advantage.

The variety of corn to use depends very largely
upon the locality. It must yield a good crop and
mature in good season. In some instances a small
amount of sweet corn is grown for early feeding.
This is a good thing to do where soiling crops or oth-
er summer forage is lacking. Where either a clover or
an alfalfa patch adjoins the corn field, the hogs
should be allowed the run of the same in addition to
the corn lot. The clover and alfalfa both furnish pro-
tein and ash matter to balance up the corn ration.
Pigs handled in this way always make rapid and
economical gains.

Rape sown between the corn rows at the time of
the last cultivation, has in many instances proven an
excellent crop in connection with the corn. In some
instances as high as 800 to 900 pounds of pork per
acre have been secured from fields handled in this
way. About four pounds of rape seed per acre should
be sown. If the weather is real dry the stand will
be hght, but with favorable weather conditions very
heavy yields have been secured.

Soy beans have been grown in the corn fields at
the lowa Station, with fairly good success for ‘‘hog-
ging down’’ purposes. They should be drilled in
the corn rows at the time of planting. The best re-
sults have been secured where one-half bushel per
acre of the beans were sown. These beans are very
rich in protein, thus furnish a sufficient amount of
the same to balance the corn ration.

46 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

Rye sown at the time of the last cultivation furn-
ishes an excellent supplement where no clover or
alfalfa pastures are convenient. The best results
ever obtained at the lowa Station were where rye
was sown and the hogs were fed from one-third to
one-half pound per day each of meat meal in addi-
tion to the corn and rye. With pork at 6 cents per
pounds these hogs returned 87 cents per bushel for
the corn after deducting the cost of the rye and the
meat meal at $50.00 per ton. Ground handled in this
way may be seeded to clover and timothy the follow-
ing spring with but little labor. After the rye crop
is harvested such ground furnishes good fall pasture.

Except where soy beans, or some other forage
crops rich in protein and ash matter are grown, some
form of protein supplemental feed should be fed.
This point has been very clearly proven by the lowa
Station. Hogs fed from one-third to one-half pound
per head per day of meat meal or tankage make
very much heavier daily gains and very much more
economical gains than those fed on corn alone. The
meat meal or tankage may be fed in the form of a
thin slop in the water troughs. Pigs weighing 68
pounds each at the beginning, fed for 58 days on
meat meal and what corn they ‘‘hogged down’’ have
made average daily gains of 1.3 pounds at a cost of
5.0 cents per pound, where corn was worth 50 cents
per bushel and meat meal cost $50.00 per ton. This’
method insures both rapid and economical gains.

SIZE OF HOGS TO USE

It is impossible to have pigs of a certain definite
size at the time the corn is ready for ‘‘hogging
down.’’ All experiments indicate that pigs ranging
from 70 to 150 pounds in weight do well in this
work. In other words the spring pig crop are just
the kind to use in utilizing the corn crop during the

HOGGING DOWN CORN 47

months of September and October. Those that have
been grown on pasture or other forage crops, having
a good development of bone and muscular frame
work are just right for ‘‘hogging down’’ purposes.
Fat hogs should not be used. Hogs intended for cat-
tle feeding lots should not be used in this connection
as they nearly always suffer a backset when put in-
to the cattle feed lots, unless they are fed consider-
able additional feed. The ‘‘hogging down’’ period
causes the hogs to become fat, thus they should be
forced along and marketed as soon as possible to pre-
vent any backsets. Gilts, or sows intended for breed-
ing purposes, should not be used in the ‘‘hogging
down’’ work because they will become too fat for
best results in the breeding herd.

Old brood sows, intended for market, that are
thin in flesh fatten up very quickly when turned into
a corn field. If many of these are to be made ready
for market an acre or two of sweet corn should be
planted as it will furnish good feed from the middle
of August until the regular corn crop is ready.
When handled in this way they may be made fat and
ready for market much earlier than would be possi-
ble where the common method of feeding is followed.

TIME TO TURN HOGS IN CORN FIELD

Some men recommend the turning of the hogs in
the corn field at any time. Where this is done be-
fore the corn is fairly well dented or glazed there is
never so much feed as where it is delayed until the
corn is fairly well matured. In central Iowa the corn
crop is generally far enough along about the middle
of September. In southern Iowa about ten days ear-
hier would perhaps give the best resuits. While im-
mature corn does not hurt the hogs, still tle best
results are obtained when the corn is well dented or
giazed. If tle weather conditions are very wet and

48 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

the fields muddy it would be better to delay the turn-
ing of the hogs in for ten days or two weeks or a suf-
ficient length of time to dry the ground. In muddy
weather the hogs should not be given a large area
“ the corn field and should be provided with a grass
ot.

WATERING THE HOGS

Water is indispensible for hogs. There should
always be plenty of pure water supplied. All ex-
periments clearly indicate that hogs make their
heaviest and most economical gains when they drink
large quantities of water. Have abundant trough
room and keep them filled at all times. Hogs on a
corn field, especially during warm weather, drink
large quantities of water, thus it should never be
denied them.

SIZE OF FIELD

The size of the field will depend upon several
things: the number of hogs, the kind of weather (dry
weather large areas and during wet, muddy weather
smaller fields), the character of the soil, as on a
sandy soil there is always less waste during wet
weather than in the case of a black sticky soil.
When given ample time, it is seldom that hogs ever
waste any corn. At the Iowa Station the hogs have
generally been turned into the corn lots about Sep-
tember 15th and left there until the latter part of
October and in some instances the 10th or 12th of
November.

The following table figured out by the Minnesota
Experiment Station will be found helpful in figuring
the number of hogs an acre of corn will carry when
the yields range from 30 to 70 bushels per acre.

HOGGING DOWN CORN

Table Showing Approximately the Number of Days Required to Hog Down an
Acre of Corn by a Given Number of Pigs Weighing 125 Pounds.

Av. With Corn Shrunk to Jan. 1 and Yielding
wt 30 bu.|35 bu. |40 bu. /45 bu.|50 bu.|55 bu.|60 bu [65 bu.|70 bu
of | per | per | per | per per | per | per | per | per
PIR PAR Ao Avvo lulbew|= wie ol ok, i ie ae alles
. . Lbs. Days Days Days Days Days Days Days Days Days
WOM KGeie HO OES... oo cc cies cates snes | 125 | 22.5 | 26.2 | 30.0 | 33.7 | 37.5 | 41.2 | 45.0 | 48.7 | 52.5
Wall cweeDe 20eNOES... 5 les Ws adi eases os « | 2b TL] 18.0) 15.00) 16.8. (aie 7.) 20.64 22 bo | 2aeael epee
Wall keeps) NOPE... os keke ccc ee BN ea oa Pi = CQ 1 a i Ay sa area es fea rs
Wall-keen 40 hogs. os lc e epee le 125° | 6,6; |. 6.62) <7.55|- 08.417 Osa (CPOs ey teen |e ae:
Will Beep ORO HORS sofas f6 0 wee ree ae Be 2 a rr to ol me Se ny seat lfm 8 Os Kas
Wal Keep CO NORS cscs cis ed tees - | deat | Ser p> 4Ael BOS 3b 6.2 6.8 Tao-| SOE 8.7
NV eee 10 MOR Sra race o a eeleehes T2B sh Sik 8.71 aaa S48 5.3 5.8 6.4 CO 7.5
Will keep 80 hogs.............. ewer ae ita eee 3.3 | Bilal. Sra | AR eae GG |) Ge: 6.5

Some very successful followers of the ‘‘hogging down’’ method use a few
stock hogs to follow up the fattening hogs. In this way they claim to be able to
push the fattening bunch faster and at the same time clean up all the corn, leav-
ing no waste whatever on the ground.

50 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

CHAPTER VI
Fattening Hogs in the Dry Lot

In all farming operations a considerable number
of hogs must of necessity be fattened in dry lots.
This is true of those hogs finished during the late
fall, winter and early spring months. It has also
been clearly demonstrated that hogs weighing 150
pounds and upwards make more rapid gains and
more economical gains when finished in dry lots
than when fed corn in conjunction with pasture or
soiling crops. This is no doubt due to the fact that
the hog’s stomach is too small to utilize large qnan-
tities of green forage crops and in addition a suf-
ficient amount of grain to produce real heavy gains.
While forage crops are good for young and growing
pigs or breeding swine, they do not give the best
results when heavier hogs are being forced for
market.

In fattening hogs for market, rapid gains are
always desirable. The shorter the feeding period,
the less the risk from disease. The heavier the daily
gains the more economical they are as arule. Thus
we can readily see the importance of adopting those
methods which will give the quickest returns. The
man who feeds his hogs in such a way as to produce
rapid daily gains generally makes the most money
out of his hog business. Hogs weighing in the neigh-
borhood of 200 Ibs. should make an average daily
gain of 2 tbs. per head per day. In hog feeding
work at the Iowa Station, hogs weighing around 200 .-
Ibs. each at the beginning of an experiment con-
ducted during the latter part of April and the month
of May in dry lot feeding made average daily gains
ranging from 2.23 Ibs. to 2.57 ths. each for a period of
49 days. These hogs were in fair flesh at the start.

FATTENING HOGS IN DRY LOT 51

They were good thrifty animals, however. When on
full feed they ate about 10 Ibs. of grain per head
per day.

There are three things necessary for heavy gains
in hog feeding: 1st, a good healthy vigorous hog;
2nd, a grain ration which is palatable so that the
hogs will eat large quantities of it; 3rd, a grain ra-
tion which contains a sufficient amount of protein
and ash matter to insure best results.

While corn should always constitute a large part
of every hog ration, especially for fattening hogs, in
the corn belt states, still it should not be fed alone.
It is a very good fattening ration but is lacking in
both protein and ash matter. Protein is absolutely
necessary in the ration if heavy gains are to be
secured. Feeding stuffs rich in protein seem to exert
also a favorable influence on the digestive system.
In experimnts covering a period of some ten years
at the Iowa Station in which over 1000 head of hogs
were fed on various rations of corn alone and corn
in combination with other feeding stuffs, some in-
teresting and useful results were obtained. It was
found that hogs weighing from 150 to 200 Ibs. each,
fed on corn 9 parts and either meat meal or tankage
1 part made from 15 to 40 per cent heavier daily
gains and from 10 to 30 per cent cheaper gains, than
hogs of similar weights and breeding fed on corn
alone. These results clearly prove the necessity for
furnishing some form of protein supplement to the
corn ration. Hogs thus fed had better appetites,
sleeker coats, and showed much better general health
than those fed on corn alone. There are many dif-
ferent ways of balancing up the corn ration. The
packing house by-products such as meat meal, tank-
age and beef scraps, have given real good results in
this connection. Skim milk and butter milk are both
useful as are oil meal, eluten feed, wheat shorts,

TION

PROFITABLE PORK PRODUC

SGNNOd 00¢ YHAN

O SDOH YOU NUOO DNIUVdadd JO GOHLAW LSAd GAL

FATTENING HOGS IN DRY LOT 53

peas and soy beans. Any feed, which is rich in pro-
tein and reasonable in price may be used to balance
the corn ration. Meat meal and tankage have furn-
ished the cheapest sources of protein available in re-
cent years.

In dry lot feeding the ration must be prepared
to suit the needs of the animal. Young pigs weigh-
ing from 50 to 75 Ibs. require more protein and ash
matter than do older and heavier animals. The fol-
lowing rations have been worked out to meet the
needs of the various ages and weights of swine.
Corn is used as the basis of the ration and other feed-
ing stuffs are added in proper amounts to give good
results.

Pigs From 50 to 75 Pounds

1. Ear corn 7 parts and meat meal or tankage 1
part. Feed meat meal or tankage in the drinking
water. Pigs of this size should eat from 2.5 to 5 Ibs.
each per day.

2. Ear corn 2 parts, and a mixture composed of
equal parts ground barley and wheat shorts, 3 parts.
Feed ground feed in form of a slop.

3. Ear corn 1 part and skim milk or butter milk
3 parts.

4. Ear corn 7 parts, wheat shorts 3 parts and
oil meal 1 part. Feed wheat shorts and oil meal in
form of a rather thin slop.

5. Ear corn 2 parts, wheat shorts or gluten feed
.1 part and skim milk 3 parts.

6. Ground barley 1 part and skim milk or but-
ter milk 3 parts. Feed in form of a slop.

Hogs 100 to 150 Pounds

54 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

2. Ear corn 4 parts, ground barley 3 parts and
meat meal or tankage 1 part. Feed barley and meat
meal or tankage in form of a slop.

3. Ear corn 2 parts and skim milk or butter milk
2 parts.

4. Ear corn 5 parts, wheat shorts 3 parts and oil
meal 1 part. Feed wheat shorts and oil meal in the
form of a slop.

Hog's 175 Pounds and Upwards

1. Soaked shelled corn or soaked corn meal 9
parts and meat meal or tankage 1 part. If soaked
shelled corn is used feed meat meal or tankage in
the drinking water; if soaked corn meal is fed mix
the meat meal or tankage with it and feed in the form
of a thick slop.

2. Soaked shelled corn or soaked corn meal 95
parts, ground barley 4 parts and meat meal or. tank-
age 1 part. Feed as in ease of ration No. 1. While
skim milk or butter milk are both useful in the case
of any kind of swine, they are more beneficial for
young light weight animals than in the case of the
_heavier hogs. The best and cheapest gains are

usually made on heavy hogs where the ration is very
largely corn. A small amount of either meat meal
or tankage is helpful and will tend to produce con-
siderably heavier daily gains.

Where ear corn is fed, the yards should be kept
clean. Feeding floors are very useful in this con-
nection. Good comfortable sleeping quarters should
always be provided. Hogs never thrive and fatten
well when confined in cold, damp sleeping quarters.
It is the man who gives attention to all the little de-
tails who wins out in the hog business.

FATTENING HOGS IN DRY LOT 55

FATTENING HOGS BEHIND CATTLE

On all cattle feeding farms a considerable num-
ber of hogs are fattened each year in the cattle feed
lots.. These hogs are used to utilize the corn which
“passes through the cattle in an undigested form.
When the cattle are fed heavily on shelled corn or
ear corn, the hog gains sometimes rangs range from
10 to 15 cents per bushel for each bushel of corn fed
to the steers. Light weight hogs, from 75 to 125 Ibs.
each, give the best results behind cattle. Some suc-
cessful cattle feeders do not allow their hogs addi-
tional feed other than that picked up from the drop-
pings of the cattle in the feed lot. Where plenty of
hogs are used, it pays to feed extra feed. In this
connection both the Iowa and Ohio Stations have
found that the feeding of from one-third to one-half
Ib. of meat meal or tankage per hog per day in-
ereased the daily gains on the hogs from 50 to 80
per cent over the gains made on the hogs in the other
lots not fed in this way. Hogs following cattle fed
on oil meal, clover hay or alfalfa hay always make
more rapid gains than hogs following steers fed on
corn and either timothy or mixed hay. When hogs
reach 200 or 250 pounds they should be taken out of
the cattle lots and finished for market.

In all hog feeding operations too much attention
cannot be given to the details. Plenty of pure drink-
ing water should always be supplied. The more
water hogs drink during the fall and winter months
the heavier the daily gains. Plenty of dry bedding
should always be furnished. The feeding should be
done twice a day and just what they will eat up
aoe e from half to three-quarters of an hour should

e fed.

56 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

CHAPTER VII

Treatment for Worms, Lice and
Prevention of Disease

Success in pork production depends largely upon
the health of the herd, which should be maintained
by preventative rather than by curative methods.
This requires the most rigid adherence to sanitary
conditions of pens, yards and general surroundings.
Filthy yards and pens, poorly drained feeding lots
and dusty, dark sleeping quarters should be avoided.
Most hog diseases start from little neglects or causes.
The careful hog man readily detects the presence of
lice, worms or disease outbreaks in his hogs. When
taken early all of these troubles can be handled with
but little loss to the owner. It is the careless man
who lets such troubles eat up hog profits.

PARASITES

It can be truthfully said that parasites such as
lice, mange and the various kinds of worms which
live in the digestive tract, cause the farmers of the
corn belt states a greater annual loss than does all
forms of hog diseases combined. This is because
these parasites are more or less present in all herds
of swine. In the great majority of instances the
farmer does not know of their presence and wonders
why his pigs do not respond more readily to the
food supplied. These parasites are indirectly con-
suming the corn and other grain fed the hogs. They
simply sap the life out of the hog. No hog can do
well unless it is free from all forms of parasites. If
your hogs are not doing well, look up the reason. It
may be lice. It may be intestinal worms or some
other trouble. Be sure and locate the trouble, then
set about to get rid of the same.

TREATMENT FOR WORMS AND LICE a7

Lice. Lice are a very common source of loss to
the hog business. While they are more or less
troublesome to all ages and sizes of swine, they are
most harmful and injurious to young pigs. Lice,
when present, may be found on almost any part of
the pig but are most commonly found around the
ears, in the folds of the skin about the jowl, sides and
flanks, and especially on the inside of the fore legs in
the arm pits. It is not difficult to see the lice if a
careful examination is made.

There are several different remedies and methods
of applying them for the treatment of lice in swine.
When a herd is once infested it takes time to thor-
oughly free it from lice. The lice multiply very rap-
idly, thus no time should be lost in applying some
reliable form of treatment. Many people use the
stock dips, which belong to the list of coal tar disin-
fectants, for this purpose. When used at least a 2
per cent solution should be applied. It may be used
in the dipping tank or it may be sprayed on the
hogs. The best and most effective cure for lice, used
at the Iowa Experiment Station, is crude oil. One
application of crude oil usually does the business.
It kills the nits as well as the lice. It may be applied
with a brush or with a spray. The best way to use
erude oil, when you have a dipping tank, is to fill
the tank about two-thirds full of water, then put in
a layer of some three or four inches of crude oil.
The oil being lighter than the water will float on
top. Then put the pigs through the tank in the
usual way. This will always do the business and but ~
little labor is expended in the operation.

Mange. Mange and other skin troubles are usual-
ly caused by some form of parasite. Hogs are not
very often troubled with mange or other skin dis-
eases. When an outbreak does occur, it should re-
ceive immediate attention. Use a 2 per cent solution

58 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

of some good standard dip in a warm water solution.
Dip the animals twice, allowing about five days be-
tween the dippings and the trouble will generally
disappear.

Worms. Worms are a very common source of
trouble in the hog business. This is especially true
during the fall and winter months when more or
less constipating feeds are used. There are several
forms of worms such as the lung worm, the common
round worm,.the thorn headed worm, whip and pin
worms and the kidney worm. Of the various forms,
the common round worm is the most common and
also the most troublesome, unless it be the thorn
headed worm.

The general health and vigor of the hog has
much to do with its ability to ward off worm troubles
and the various forms of disease. Age is also a fac-
tor as the greatest losses are always found in the
younger animals. The sanitariy conditions of the
buildings, vards and pastures, are very important
in this connection. If the conditions are such as to
enable the eges or larvae to live for a long time,
these troubles are always numerous. Wet years,
muddy yards, undrained pastures and pounds are
favorable for the development of all forms of par-
asitic troubles. Where permanent hog lots are
used, espeically if the drinking troughs are dirty,
the feeding floors filthy or where the yards have not
been cleaned each year, heavy losses from parasitic
troubles may be expected.

The Round Worm. The most common of the in-
testinal parasites is the round worm. It is usually
found in the small intestine, is from six to ten inches
long, tapering toward the ends and is yellowish
white in color. If they are present in large numbers
they irritate the intestine and set up an inflamma-

‘TREATMENT FOR WORMS AND LICE 59

tion. The symptoms are much the same as chronic
indigestion.

Thorn Headed Worm. The worm is so named
because of the thorn headed appearance of the same.
It attaches itself to the walls of the intestines by
means of this thorn head. This starts an irritation
and if present in considerable numbers the hogs soon
show an unthrifty appearance. This worm is white
or bluish white in color. The females range from 5
to 20 inches in length while the males are from 3
to 5 inches long.

The same form of treatment answers for all
kinds of intestinal worms. The pigs should always
be starved for a day or so before giving any form
of worm medicine. The following worm remedy. has
been used successfully at the lowa Experiment:
Station.

FORMULA FOR HOGS INFECTED
WITH WORMS

Santonin 215 grains.
Areca nut 1 dram (may be omitted).
Calomel 14 grain.

Sodium Bicarbonate 14 dram.

The above amounts constitute a dose for a 100
Tb. pig. For larger or smaller pig's use proportionate
amounts. All feed should be withheld for at least
18 hours before giving the above mixture. Ground
feed slightly moistened should be placed in the
troughs and the mixture sprinkled over the same.
It may also be fed in the form of a slop. Repeat the
dose in eight or ten days to make sure all worms
are expelled.

60 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

FORMULA TO BE USED AS A PREVENTA-
TIVE OF WORMS

Glauber Salts, 3 parts.

Salsoda, 3 parts.

Copperas, 3 parts. .

Common salt, 1 part.

Sulphur, 1 part.

This is to be kept before the hogs at all times but
must be kept under cover to prevent waste.

Sulphate of iron (copperas) is also a very good
remedy. This should be ground into a fine powder.
For a 100 pound pig, use 1 dram, and 2 drams for a
300 pound hog. The sulphate of iron should be dis-
solved in warm water and mixed with a slop. It
should be fed every morning for a week or in real
bad cases every other morning for two weeks. It is
always best to keep the pigs or hogs in dry lots
while treating for worms so that when the treatment
is over the litter containing. the segments of the
worms and the eggs may be gathered up and burned
to prevent further infection.

MINOR DISEASES AND TROUBLES

There are several diseases and troubles, common
to swine, which are not as a rule fatal. These lesser
troubles will be considered in this connection. ©

Canker or Sore Mouth. This trouble is common

in young pigs. It is caused by a germ which is
found everywhere, especially in manure piles and
filthy pens or sleeping quarters. If taken in time it
is not hard to control, but if the disease is well ad-
vanced the ulcers or sore places should be scraped
before applying treatment. Treat the pig by thrust-
ing its head into a 2 per cent solution of some good
standard dip or wash out the mouth with a solution
made by using a teaspoonful of permanganate of
potash in a gallon of warm water. The pigs should

TREATMENT FOR WORMS AND LICE v1

be treated every day until the parts are thoroughly
healed. Keep the pigs in a clean place free from
dust and disinfect the udder of the sow each day
with the same preparation used on the pigs.

Thumps. This trouble affects young pigs from
two to eight weeks old. The symptoms are difficulty
in breathing and the flanks have a jumping or beat-
ing action. This is caused by an accumulation of
fat about the heart and lungs, which interferes with
the action of these organs. It oftentimes proves
fatal. The only thing to do is to use preventative
measures. Give the little fellows plenty of exercise
and cut down the rations. This trouble usually at-
tacks early spring pigs which are liberally nourished
and confined to very small quarters.

Sun Scald. This trouble usually affects thin
haired pigs that are allowed to run in any rank wet
growth of green fodder such as rape and sometimes
clover and alfalfa, and then exposed to the hot sun.
The skin cracks and sore places appear about the
ears and on the sides. Remove the cause and treat
the affected hogs with a mixture composed of one
ounce of lard and two ounces of flowers of sulphur.

Coughs. Coughs in pigs usually indicate either
dusty sleeping quarters or else worm troubles. If
the pens are dirty and dusty, clean the same or put
the pigs in a clean pasture lot. If worms are the
cause, use the worm remedy recommended.

Black Teeth. Pigs at birth generally have little
tushes or teeth that stick out on both sides of the
upper and lower jaw, four in number. These teeth
are usually yellow or brown in color and very sharp
pointed. These teeth often cause much trouble, due
to the little fellows fighting each other or in cutting
the mother’s teats. Examine the little fellows soon
after birth and use a pair of small pliers to break
the teeth.

62 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

Sore Tails. When little pigs are kept in damp
quarters or if they are troubled with scours, this
sets up inflammation and oftentimes results in the
loss of the tail. If the trouble appears, use boric
acid to cleanse the sores and keep the little fellows
in well lighted, dry sleeping quarters.

Paralysis. This trouble appears in the hind quar-
ters, especially in sows that are weakened from nurs-
ing large litters. If the pigs are still nursing, wean
them at once. Give the sow from 3 to 6 ounces of
Epsom Salts in a thin slop. Feed lightly on a ration
of a highly nitrogenous nature. Paralysis is some-
times caused by injury to the spinal cord. It is
sometimes due to improper feeding. In all cases feed
light rations of a nitrogenous nature, keep the diges-
tive organs in good condition, keep the animals quiet
and away from the rest of the herd. Animals thus
affected require several weeks to fully recover.

HAZARDOUS DISEASES

There are several diseases, more or less common
to swine, which are very destructive and difficult to
combat. In all such cases too much attention can-
not be given to preventative measures. When dis-
ease once affects a hog it is very difficult to do much
in the way of curative treatment.

Tuberculosis. This trouble is quite common in
many sections of the country. It seems to be most
prevalent in dairy sections where the skim milk is
fed to the hogs. It has been clearly proven at the
Iowa Experiment Station that this disease can be
readily transmitted to swine through the feeding
of infected milk.

It has also been demonstrated that hogs follow-
ing cattle, which are infected with tuberculosis,
readily contract the disease. This being true, hogs
should not be fed skim milk, butter milk or whey

TREATMENT FOR WORMS AND LICE 63

which has not been thoroughly pasteurized. Neither
should hogs be allowed to eat the droppings of cat-
tle which are known to have tuberculosis.

Hog Cholera. Hog cholera or swine plague is a
serious menace to the hog business. This disease is
highly destructive and very contagious in its nature.
It is easily transmitted from one hog to another, it
may be carried by man, dogs, birds or by an over-
flowing stream: Every precaution should be taken
to avoid having hog pastures near overflowing
streams. When new hogs are shipped in they should
be quarantined for four weeks to insure the safety
of the herd. Too much attention cannot be given to
these things. In case cholera breaks out in your
herd be sure and burn up all of the carcasses of the
dead hogs. If every farmer would do this the loss
from cholera would be very materially lessened.

Symptoms. The early signs of hog cholera are
fever, shivering, unwillingnuess to move around, loss
of appetite. The animals appear lagey, hide in the
bedding and act stupid. At the beginning the bowels
may be normal or constipated but later on there is
a liquid and fetid diarrhoea. The eyes at first appear
congested and watery but the secretions soon thick-
en, become yellowish in color and oftentimes smears
the eye lids together. The breathing becomes rapid
and a cough is usually noticeable, especially when
the animals are driven from their beds. The skin is
often congested and varies from a pinkish red to
purple in color. There are other external symptoms
but those given are most commonly seen. When cut
open red spots caused by hemorrhages are often
found. The spleen is abnormal in size, soft and full
of blood. The contents of the intestines are often-
times covered with blood. When these symptoms
are present in your hogs, lose no time in securing a
competent veterinarian to treat the herd.

64 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION

Treatment. Withhold most of the feed. Use
light slops. Keep the digestive organs in good
shape. Divide the hogs into several lots. Have
them innoculated at once with good reliable hog
cholera serum. This can usually be secured through
the state veterinarian. Good serum is almost a sure
preventative for this most dreaded of all diseases.
Keep the pens and yards thoroughly disinfected
through the use of standard dips.

DRENCHING HOGS

The following method recommended in Dawson’s
Hog Book is especially good. ‘‘T’o drench mature
hogs, a rope with a ring in the end is secured around
the hog’s upper jaw, and the other end is hitched to
a post at such a height as to elevate the hog’s head.
A 2-inch round stick from two to three feet long is
held cross-wise in its mouth between the grinder
teeth. Drenching can be done with perfect safety
with a long-necked bottle. Care should be taken not
to force the dose down too fast, else the hog may be
strangled, especially if the hog is struggling or
squealing. If the hog refuses to swallow, the throat
should be gently kneaded. In drenching pigs they
should be held by front legs in a sitting position be-
tween the holder’s knees, with their backs to him,
while another man operates the drenching bottle,
keeping their mouths open with a stick meanwhile.”’

Too much attention cannot be given to the little
thing's in the hog business. Little troubles are usual-
ly the sources of large losses. Keep the pens clean,
well bedded and have plenty of light. Rake the
yards and burn up all refuse after an attack of
worms or a disease outbreak. Use plenty of disin-
fectants at all times. Whitewash your hog pens.
Feed a well balanced ration and supply plenty of
pure drinking water. These are all important fac-
tors in profitable pork production.

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