At farrowing time the sow should be placed in a building, dry, free from draughts, and well-ventilated.
The feed after farrowing should be about the same as before. After the first week larger quantities are necessary for the sow in order to maintain the pigs properly. When the pigs are weaned, the feed of the sow should be cut down to check the flow of milk. Oats is recommended for that purpose.
=Feeding the pigs.= The young pigs will learn to eat at about three weeks of age. At this time if the pigs can be fed separately from the sow better results will be obtained. Skim-milk, middlings and soaked corn are recommended.
Young pigs should be given opportunity for exercise but should be sheltered from cold winds or hot sun. Young pigs may be weaned at from 8 to 10 weeks. Avoid too heavy feeding at first.
Pasture-fed pigs may be given one-fourth of a pound of tankage, or one and one-half to two pounds of skim-milk or buttermilk per day; one-half pound of middlings may be added to the above ration. Adding bran or finely ground oats to the middlings will prevent constipation in case the middlings are too fine and floury.
What corn is readily cleaned up may be fed at the age of three months or a little earlier if skim-milk is being fed. The pigs should be fed four times a day at first and then three times. As the pigs grow older the corn and middlings may be increased, but at no time should corn alone be fed.
=Markets.= The successful stock man is the one who is familiar with market requirements and tries to meet them. Every pig club member should know something of the market classes and grades of hogs. These differ somewhat according to local conditions, but in a general way the classification used on the Chicago market may be taken as a standard.
Heavy hogs are no longer at a premium except when the price of lard is high. They contain a large amount of fat. The various grades of hogs in the several classes indicate the degree to which they have attained to the standard of perfection, prime being the highest grade, and common and inferior the lowest grades.
Butcher hogs are commonly used for fresh meat trade. They are principally barrows.
The term packing refers to the use to which this class of hogs is commonly put. They are inferior to butcher hogs and are cut up, cured, and packed in boxes and barrels. Mixed packing hogs are those marketed without grading. Speculators often buy them up and grade them.