f. SF 395 .K4 Copy 1 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION W. J. KENNEDY r Class _iZjf^ Rook / i j^ COPYRIGHT DEPOStC PROFITABLE PORK 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 Iowa Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa Coprighted 1912 Profitable Breeding and Farming Company All Rights Reserved Published By Profitable Breeding and Farming Company Nevada, Iowa W. J. KENNEDY ©CU320643 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 Constitution 6 Body Capacity 7 Feet and Legs 7 Head :... 7 Straightness of Body Lines 9 Shoulders _ 9 Quality 9 CHAPTER II Preparation of Corn and Other Feeding Stuffs Corn 10 (a) Dry ear corn (d) Soaked corn meal (b) Soaked shelled com (e) Dry corn and cob meal (c) Dry corn meal (f ) Soaked corn and cob meal Barley 13 Shorts 13 Wheat 13 Tankage or Meat Meal 14 Rye 14 Oats 14 Oil Meal 14 Cottonseed Meal 14 Gluten Feed 14 Potatoes : „ 14 Pumpkins 15 Skim Milk 15 Alfalfa and Clover Hay 15 CHAPTER III Feed, Care and Management of Brood Sow General Introduction 16 Early or Late Litters 18 Feeding Sows Previous to and During Breeding Season 20 Feeding During Pregnancy Period 22 Rations for Brood Sows 23 Influence of Rations on Size of Pigs at Birth 24 Influence of Rations on Condition of Pigs at Birth 26 Feeding at Farrowing Time 26 Feeding During Suckling Period 28 CHAPTER IV Forage Crops and Summer Feeding of Swine Points to be Observed in Selecting Forage Crops 29 Alfalfa 31 Rape 33 Clover — Medium Red 36 Oats, Medium Red Clover and Rape 37 Oats, Canadian Field Peas and Rape 38 Sweet Clover _ 39 Blue Grass and Timothy '. _... 41 Rye 42 CHAPTER V Hogging Down Corn General Introduction 43 Kind of Corn and Supplements to Use 44 (a) Rape (b) Soy Beans (c) Rye Size of Hogs to Use 46 Time to Turn Hogs in Corn Field 47 Watering the Hogs 48 Size of Field to Use 48 Number of Pigs per acre 49 CHAPTER VI Fattening Hogs in Dry Lot Advantages of Dry Lot Feeding 50 Rations for Pigs From 50 to 75 Pounds 53 Rations for Hogs From 100 to 150 Pounds 13 Rations for Hogs 175 Pounds and Upwards 54 Fattening Hogs Behind Cattle 55 CHAPTER VII Treatment of Worms, Lice and Prevention of Diseases Parasites 56 Lice : 57 Mange 57 Worms 58 The Round Worm 58 Thorn Headed Worm 59 Treatment for Hogs Infected With Worms 59 Treatment to Use as Prevention of Worms 60 Canker or Sore Mouth 60 Thumps : 61 Sun Scald 61 Coughs - 61 Black Teeth 61 Sore Tails Q2 Paralysis 62 Tuberculosis 62 Hog Cholera 63 Drenching Hogs 64 Importance of Sanitary Conditions 64 S 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 month 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 be 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 A USEFUL TYPE OF BOAR THE TYPE OF HOG WHICH CONVERTS CORN INTO DOLLARS AND CENTS 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 sniooth 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 cutting, 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. Com. In all of the corn belt states com 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 H ages and weights. The various costs of the different methods of preparation were as follows: Shelling corn Ic per bushel. Grinding shelled corn to meal 2c per bushel. Grinding ear com twice to fine corn and cob meal 6c per bushel. Soaking corn or corn meal Ic 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 lbs. 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 lbs. in weight made more econ- omical gains on shelled corn soaked in water 12 hours than on dry ear com or com 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 com 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 com for hogs of any ag© 12 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION Lots Kind of Corn Total days fed Ave. daily gain Feed ICost per 100 per lUU corn at 50c lb. gainj per bu. Return from bu. of com Pork--$6. Three months old pigs weighing from 45 to 50 lt)s. each fed on grass. Dry ear corn Soaked shelled corn... Dry corn meal Soaked corn meal Dry corn and cob meal Soaked corn and cob meal 172 951b 4391b $4.28 172 .941b 4501b 4.43 172 .85Ib 498tb 5.02 172 .93tb 4931b 4.95 172 .511b 7001b 6.36 172 .561b 6701b 6.12 73c 71c 62c 64c 60c 62c Copn 10 parts — Meat Meal 1 part Hogs weighing around 100 lb. at start, fed during spring and summer in dry yards. 1 I Dry ear corn 2 I Soaked shelled corn. 3 I Dry corn meal 4 Soaked corn meal... 140 1.321b 4651b $4.56 140 1.301b 4421b 4.41 140 1.211b 4631b 4.77 140 1.521b 4451b 4.59 69c 72c 66c 69c Corn 10 parts — Meat Meal 1 part. Hogs weighing around 200 lb. at start, fed during spring and summer in dry yards. 1 I Dry ear corn , 2 I Soaked shelled com, 3 I Dry corn meal 4 I Soaked corn meal . , , 84 1.741b 4681b $4.65 84 1.921b 4491b 4.53 84 1.991b 4521b 4.71 84 2.001b 4611b 4.80 68c 70c 68c 66c Corn Alone. Hogs weighing around 200 lb. at start fed during summer on pasture. I Dry ear corn Soaked shelled corn. 45 45 1.311b 1.421b 5441b I $5.03 5041b I 4.74 60c 64c Corn 12 parts — Meat Meal 1 part. Thin sows weighing around 225 lb. at start and fed during fall in dry lot. 1 I Dry ear corn 2 I Soaked shelled corn. 3 I Dry corn meal 4 I Soaked corn meal.. 56 2.041b 4271b $4.13 56 2.491b 3981b 3.92 56 2.401b 4011b 4.08 56 2.441b 4051b 4.13 76c 81c 79c 78g PREPARATION OF FEEDS 13 when the weather was warm enough to permit soak- ing. 4. Com 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 lbs., 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 used 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 com 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. Rye. Eye 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. If 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 com 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 15 When fed in this way and mixed with corn, 400 lbs. of potatoes are the equivalent of 100 lbs. 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 lbs. 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 CHAPTEE ni 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 SROOD SOW 17 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 nec- 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 lacking 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 can 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 litters 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 yaung 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 ac- 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 21 o c < g O to o o t3d H C d 22 PROFITABl^E 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. TEEDING 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 Iowa 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 I part. Lot III was fed ear corn 7VL' 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. A V. Init- Shelled Supplement Daily Av. Lot Ration ial wt. corn eat- daily per gilt en daily gain I Ear Corn 309 lb. 3.65 lb. None .3541b. II EarCorn29parts Meat meal 1 part 210 lb. 8.21 lb. Meat meal. 127 ft) .582 1b. III Earcorn73^part Meat meal 1 part 200 lb. 2.75 lb. Meat meal. 432 ft) .635 lb. IV Ear corn and Whole Clover. . 200 lb. 3.67 1b. Clover .302 ft) .528 lb. V Ear corn and Whole Alfalfa 211 lb. 3.74 lb. Alfalfa 1.106 ft, .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 com alone made the lightest daily gains while those get- ting ear corn 7% 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 IV? 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. Lot Ration No. in Ave. Litter Wt. of Ave. Lit ter Ave.wt. per pig in lot Lbs. A-ve.No. of pigs saved per sow at wean- ingtime I fl III IV V Ear Corn Ear Corn 29 parts Meat Meal 1 part. . Ear Com TV2 parts Meat Meal 1 part. . Ear Corn and Whole Clover Ear Corn and Whole Alfalfa 7.6 13.2a 1.74 7.4 14.89 2.01 8.8 19.62 2.23 6.4 14.17 2.21 7.6 17.41 2.29 5.2 6.2 7.0 5.6 6.4 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 71/2 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. Lot I Ration 1 % I Ear Corn 68 42 n Bar Cbm 29 parts Meat Meal 1 part 91.89 111 Ear Corn lYz parts Meat Meal 1 part 93.18 IV Ear Corn and Whole Clover 93.75 V Ear Corn and Whole Alfalfa 89.47 Strong I Med. | Weak | Dead I % I % None None None None None None None None 2.63 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 71/2 parts and meat meal 1 part, is again in the lead. It is not neoessary to argue the importance of having strong pigs at birth. 26 PROFITABLE 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 liable 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. Farrowiuii 'me needs but little attention when the sows are (^ l 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 crushing 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 ^ye 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 Iktle soaked shelled corn scattered FORAaS CROPS AND SUMMMl FEEDING 2d 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 Iowa 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 cents per bushel and hogs at $5.00 per cwt., 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 cwt. 4. That the dry lot system of feeding young pig's is very slow and expensive as compared with the forage crop plan. 5. 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- cially 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 cwt., 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 31 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 Iowa Ex- periment Station with young pigs, were with alfalfa pasture and ear corn. These gains cost $2.88 per cwt. 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 cwt. 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 cwt. 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 cwt. and hay at $15.00 per ton the returns from an acre of alfalfa would be $80.68. FOiRAGE 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 Iowa 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 34 PROFITABLB^ PORK PRODUCTION FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 35 eight inclies 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 Iowa Experi- 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 lb. 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 S6 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 cwt. 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 cwt, 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 is a 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 765 pounds at $5.00 per cwt. 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 Essex 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 Iowa Station. Pigs fed on a forage crop consisting of oats, rape and medium red clover with an average daily grain allownnce of 1- pounds per hundred pounds live weight 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 cwt. when corn was worth 50 cents per bushel. The amount of pork accredited to an acre was 795 pounds at $5.00 per cwt. would be worth $39.75. This is an excellent emergency 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 lield 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 Iowa 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 cwt. with corn at 50 cents per bushel. The amount of pork accredited to an acre of the forage crops was 657 pounds at $5.00 per cwt. 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 Iowa 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 cwt. 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 cwt. 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 Iowa 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 early 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 snch pasture is nsed 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 75 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 cwt. 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 crops 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- ficulty 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 com, when properly sup- plemented with feeding stuffs rich in protein and mineral matter. CHAPTER V Hogging Down Corn The labor problem is an important one on every farm. Any method of farming which will less<^n 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 cwt. 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 acre 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 tiie stand will be light, but with favorable weather conditions very heavy yields have been secured. Soy beans have been grown in the corn fields at the Iowa 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 Iowa 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 Iowa 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 3.5 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. r)ld brood sows, mtended 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 geiierally far enough along about the middle of September. In southern Iowa about ten days ear- lier would perhaps give the best results. While im- mature corn does not hurt the hogs, still the best results are obtained when the corn is well dented or glazed. If the weather conditions are very wet and 48 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION the fields muddy it would be better to delay tho 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 of the corn field and should be provided with a grass lot. 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 49 OS CO ^ the fat wast CDa)fD(t)a>(DCDCD o no CD > g m <; oooooooo 2 1 i—t- CD !3't3't3'tJ'p'tzrt3'p' tP r^ o .^ OOOOOOOO 1— •• ^ <^ ^ (WcrqoqcfQOPcrptworp .-^ o CO W m Kn m ui m w Ui < ^ ^ :::::::: 3 *73 CD i-ts :::::::: o •■ ^ m bOMtsDbObObObObS 5 So ^ f> 3 .Ul-qi-itC S^ ^^i o 1 r+- o ooto-acnoscnbocn ^ ^ HJ ^ CD t3^ (JQ CO CD 02 ^ O rr CD 1— ' to [>^ g^ ^ 02 o esq coccM^cnosoocoos ^ r •-b CO^JkJ^i.tOOT-^l— ilNO CO "S 13- n 1— '• 2, h^ CD P" CfQ 1— I 1— ' CO ^ >% o i "5 M» p -TOOO ^ ri B GO CT? ? ^ ^ rf^ 02 CD CD P 1 CL h- 1 1— ' CO >t Of i'-* c ,K- 1 o 3 bOOO<35-4i.tOOO-q 1 *-i ^ o 1 P P 4».cnaj-% o o- P ^ v» Oitotocncocn-doi i-j o Q s l-l t-l. to Hf>^ o >^ P J-l* ^ P CD Cnoi050oocooi-i H-^bobotoco^bsto OB r! ^ CJI S" B o SO § ^ (-1 f-l to Kli^ !>■? <3i O w CD o a" CD cnoi-jcoh- 'cnbocn 95 a- o 8 m CD OSfJ^OTOtOOOlO •-! aq 1— I l-Jt to i4^ ^^ a P P cT aiaiooi:£)coo54i.oo ps cr o >• P i-ioi-i-atotooo-^i 05 ^HJ CD P 1 1— ^ I— ^ H-' to en Oi^OOOht^^OitO ^^ -0 o p o aicn-jcni— icnbom ■^ f3 » 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 qjian- 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 a rule. 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 lbs. should make an average daily gain of 2 lbs. per head per day. In hog feeding work at the Iowa Station, hogs weighing around 200 lbs. 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 lbs. to 2.57 lbs. 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 Ihs. 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 m combination with other feeding stuffs, some in- teresting and useful results were obtained. It was found that hogs weighing from 150 to 200 lbs. each, fed on corn 9 parts and either meat meal or tankage 1 part made from 15 to 40 per cent heavier daily gams 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 necessitv for turnishmg 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, gluten feed, wheat shorts 52 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION m. U\ ( V » f \ ..^ mtm mm iifeKii 02 ^^Jff\l< Q ^Pl'i p ^P o E ' p^ m4 o o S<1 5 •I tf Q i p m o ' o a 1 Pi o J^Z fe ^ C4 ■« o o ■^ o z 1— 1 Pi p#->*/M ^ ^£#'1*.' ' iffi @ Pi d. _ § ^^««R Q *«&;^;.s;i:f ::!./ o iiKllCI': w «»«v:w^v \ «>. Wii-0: ^ ^ Eh , . ::S.f CQ H /^'•S .-<<'-i'¥*:.:.;;j? •€■ m •l:-:r--fc:'|''^»v & ia:Bi a 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 lbs. 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. Com 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 lbs. 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 1. Ear corn 8 parts and meat meal or tankage 1 part. Feed meat meal or tankage in form of slop in drinking water. 54 PROFTTABLB 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 5 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. Hogs 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 5 parts, ground barley 4 parts and meat meal or tank- age 1 part. Feed as in case 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 hoo' 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 lbs. 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 lb. of meat meal or tankage per hog per day in- creased 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 clean in from half to three-quarters of an hour should be fed. 56 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION CHAPTEE 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 57 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 crude 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, yards and pastures, are very important in this connection. If the conditions are such as to enable the eggs 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 Iowa Experiment- Station. FORMULA FOR HOGS INFECTED WITH WORMS Santonin 2% grains. Areca nut 1 dram (may be omitted). Calomel M^ grain. Sodium Bicarbonate % dram. The above amounts constitute a dose for a 100 lb. pig. For larger or smaller pigs 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. Repeal the dose in sight 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 01 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. Cougfhs. Coughs in pigs usually indicate either dusty sleeping quarters or else worm troubles. J£ 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 bii-th 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 LIOE 63 wMch 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 laggy, 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. "To 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 things 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. EP m i§tf LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 002 835 0697