PIGS IN WINTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22449, 19 June 1936, Page 15

PIGS IN WINTER

MINERAL REQUIREMENTS SIGNS OF DEFICIENCY REASON FOR "ROOTING" BY BREEDER The winter season is «i hard time for growing pigs. Probably the greatest difficulty is to ensure that their rations contain an adequato supply of minerals. With pigs " running out," and being fed with supplementary root or cereal crops the first sign of mineral deficiency comes when they commence to " root " up tho pasture. I am well aware that tho majority of farmers regard this " rooting " as part of the nature of the pig .and tli.it it will do so by instinct. This, however, is not the case and 1 state it as a positive fact that if pigs are properly fed with a sufficiency of minerals in their diet then they will not " root." Immediately a pig begins to. tear up tho pasture tho farmer remedies the matter by putting a ring in tho pig's noso, or as often as not two or three ugly twisted wires which are a source of constant pain to the pig. In most cases the pigs are " ringed " before being put on tho pastures. If this is carelessly dono the ring or wire will penetrate the cartilego of the nose, which will cause a decaying of the bono and the pig will be in agony until tho ring is removed. The Breeding Sow As an example of how mineral deficiencies will set a pig " rooting " take tho case of tho breeding sow. During tho gestation period, minerals aro particularly necessary in building up tho bono structures of tho unborn pigs, and if not given tho opportunity of acquiring those minerals tho sow will commence to "root" immediately. If she is in good condition when she farrows she will not " root," but toward the time when tho litter is ready for weaning, if not properly fed, the sow will become very low in condition. This is not a case of tho sow being insufficiently fed, but of her being fed a ration deficient in minerals. Thus it happens that tho breeding sow with a litter close to weaning is regarded as being tho worst offender insofar as " rooting " is concerned. It will always bo found, however, that it is only tho sows which have become very low in condition that commence " rooting." Many farmers say that if a sow " milks the condition " off herself it is a sign of a good animal, but this is definitely not the case. Tho fact is that the sow has exhausted her own frame in an effort to give her little pigs a sufficient supply of minerals in her milk. As soon as this happens she will commence to "root" up the pasture until very soon one would think it had been ploughed. Grazing is Natural Instead of seeking to remedy the matter by a few minutes' consideration concerning tho sow's diet, the farmer puts a ring in her nose so that the sow is worse off than ever, and becomes very thin at weaning time, and in no condition to commence building up another litter. It is more natural for the pig to graze the pasture just as sheep or cattle do. I have a sow paddock upon which between 60 and 70 sows have now been grazing for over three months. There is 110 evidence of "rooting" whatever, and yet not one of these sews has been " ringed." Every now and again these sows are turned out 011 to fern to allow tho pasture to freshen. While 011 tho fern the sows "root" to their hearts' content to get at tho fern roots, but when put back to the pasture they gra/.o contentedly and make 110 attempt to " root." Pigs will always eat out paspalum roots, but this can hardly be classed as " rooting " as they do not dig with tho snout, but use only tho front teeth of the bottom jaw. The point is that tho pigs should be in good condition when put on to the pasture and care should be taken during the winter to ensure that the supplementary roots fed are sufficiently rich in mineral content. Otherwise it becomes necessary to supplement the root crop. At all times, however, they should have access either to coal or charcoal.