Page:The Hog.djvu/168

166 These pigs were all got by one boar, but the sows were of different breeds.

More depends upon this than many persons seem to have the least idea of, both as regards the mother and the young; and many a fine sow and promising litter have been ruined for want of proper and judicious care at this period.

Immediately after farrowing, many sows are apt to be feverish; where this is the case, a light and sparing diet only should be given them for the first day or two, as gruel, oatmeal-porridge, whey, and such-like. Others, again, are very much debilitated, and require strengthening; for them strong soup, bread steeped in wine or in a mixture of brandy and sweet spirits of nitre, administered in small quantities, will often prove highly beneficial.

Gradually the rations must be increased and given more frequently; and they must be composed of wholesome, nutritious, and succulent matters. All kinds of roots—carrots, turnips, potatoes, and beet-root—well steamed or boiled, may be given, but never raw; bran, barley and oatmeal, bean-flower, Indian corn, whey, sour, skim, and butter-milk, all are perfectly well adapted for this period; and, should the animal appear to require it, grain well bruised and macerated may also be added. Bean-flour is considered by many persons to create an abundance of milk; and there are many who deem barleymeal too stimulating, and advise that it should never be used alone, but always one-third oatmeal to two-thirds of the barleymeal. Whenever it is possible, the sow should be turned out for an hour each day, to graze in a meadow or clover-field, as the fresh air and exercise and herbage, will do her an infinity of good. The young pigs must be shut up for the first ten days or a fortnight, after which they will be old enough to follow her and take their share of the benefit.

The rations should be given regularly at certain hours; small and often-repeated meals are far preferable to large ones, for indigestion or any disarrangement of the functions of the stomach vitiates the milk, and produces diarrhoea and other similar affections in the young.

The mother should always be well, but not over-fed; the better and more carefully she is fed, the more abundant and nutritious will her milk be, the better will the sucking-pigs thrive, and the less will she be pulled down by suckling them.

When a sow is weakly, and has not a sufficiency of milk, the young pigs must be taught to feed as early as possible. A kind of gruel, made with skim-milk and bran, or oatmeal, will be the best thing for this purpose; or a soup composed of potatoes, boiled, and