Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1875 — Early Feeding of Hogs. [ARTICLE]

Early Feeding of Hogs.

No one except he has had the experience knows how important it is to begin early in the fall to feed hogs for market. Even if the fatting process is intended to be kept up until late in the winter the feeding can be made profitable if the hogs are young, of a good breed and selection. Continued profit, however, depends wholly upon scientific knowledge ancl skill in the management, for it is well known that swine continue to thrive a certain length of time when fed in the ordinary way,and to feed differently the farmer must know how. By beginning to feed early, before the corn hardens, this may be done without extra care. In fact the swine may with profit be turned into the field if not put on too large a portion at once. It is necessary to bring them up to a full feed gradually, during a period of two or three weeks, before , giving them a “gorge” of the fresh ears, which is liable to founder them in such a manner that they seldom fully recover from it.

Early feeding adds flesh more rapidly than late and puts on a thick covering of ’ fat during the warm weather to protect them during the colder season of winter. The early-fed corn being soft is easily digested and assists the fatting process greatly, as all know who have tried cooked food for stock. We have known many farmers to delay the feeding of their hogs until late in the fall, so that they might save their corn and hit a late market for their pork, but we never knew one to secure the best results in that way. Grass is an excellent adjunct to corn as long as it is available. The exercise necessary to get it is desirable to promote health and muscular development, Large and vigorous growth can be promoted in no other way. The flesh can be laid on in close confinement with profit if done quickly and the hog sent to the market before a retrograde movement cuts off the increasing weight. We do not advise exercise after the animal becomes so burdened with flesh as not to be able to move with a reasonable degree of effort, for at this stage of existence he is usually approaching very near the most profitable time to dispose of him. Will the readers of the Western Rural compare tlie income of the successful breeder with the hundreds who are not successful, and decide how necessary it is to think about the manner of doingthings ? —Western Rural.