THE PIGGERY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1248, 30 January 1896, Page 6

THE PIGGERY.

PIG_FEEDING. Mr Sanders Spencer, the noted English pig breeder, upon being asked questions on pig feeding, wrote : 1 What do you consider the best food for an inpig sow I —ln the summer, grass, lucerne, tares, or clover, with a few beans or peas, until she is within a week of farrowing, when sharps or bran should besubstituted. 2. Whatis the best food for the boar*?—ln summer, lucerne, clover, or tares, and in winter half of the year roots, with a few beans, peas, or mixed meal added, according to the amount ot work required of him. 3. What do you consider the best food for a sow and litter? Until the little pigs are three to four weeks old I like to feed the sow on about one-fourth branand three-fourths sharps j after that time, if the pigs will stand it without scouring, some mixed wheat, barley, and pea meal may be added. 4. What food do you prefer on which to wean the litter I —Continue the above, and a little whole wheat with skim or separated milk. 5. What do you consider thb best food for pigs from twelve to twenty we«-ks old ?—A continuance of the above, with a gradual increase of the meal, until the pigs are four months old, when the food may consist of nearly all meal. In the winter time a f.-w cut roots or steamed potatoes are good ; and in the summer lucerne, or

other green food, will be much appreciated by and prove oi benefit to the pigs. G. What do yon consider the be.st food for fattening pi.ys'?- Barley meal is the be.st simple food, but 1 prefer a mixture of meals, composed of bailey, wheat, peas, and a small proportion of maize, cocoanut meal, palmnut meal, rice, meal, and even ground linseed. 7. Do you like »s a pig food beans, peas, wheat, and barley, and in what order, and whether whole or ground 1 ?—1 prefer them ground, and in the reverse order to that given. 8. What is your opinion upon cooked food?—My present opinion is exactly what it was fifteen yeais since- -that cooking meal and roots, except potatoes, for pigs is a waste of fuel and labour. 9. What is your opinion of mangolds, turnips, and potatoes as pig foods I —l continue to use a large quantity of mangolds, and kohl-rabi, but my herd of pigs is so large that I am unable to cook enough potatoes for them. For small quantities of pigs stemmed potatoes are both a good and profitable food. 10. What do you considoris the best system of fjittonina f ißiibl '1 it-'on I —Thfl best

cise. I have not for many years practised ball feeding. There is quite as much in procuring a strain of pigs which will continue to furnish and improve, and also to stand the forcing necessary, as in the mere food given. These qualities are quite as hereditary as any other quality or weakness.