ON THE LAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3163, 8 March 1911, Page 2

ON THE LAND.

WEANING YOUNG PIGS

Provided with and taught to eat suitable food some weeks beforehand, pigs are not noticeably checked in their growth- by weaning, but those that hav e been dependent mainly upon the mother’s milk, when abruptly taken away from it, frequently seem to have their growth'partially suspended for weeks. Many breeders 'successfully let. the sow wean her pigs, as she will in time, and the change is so gradual that no pause in growth indicates when the milk diet ceased. A modified application of this, 111 which the pigs are separated from the sow at an age suiting their feeding and the convenience of the breeder, will not infrequently be found advisable; but by no means should the pigs be allowed to remain with a sow until she is virtually devoured by them, as is sometimes done. It is not a good plan to take all the pins from the sow, unless one or two of °them can be turned with her some hours after, to draw the milk she will have at that time, and again, sav, after a lapse of 24 hours. The preferred way is to leave about two of the smallest with her for several days, and after that leave only cue for two or three days more, by which time the flow of milk will have been so gradually diminished that 110 injury to the sow will result by keeping them entirely away from her. This extra supply of milk helps also to push the smaller pigs along in growth, and put them more nearly on an equality in size with their thriftier mates.