Difference in Brood Sows.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1425, 22 June 1899, Page 6

Difference in Brood Sows.

As to the comparative value of young and old sows for breeding purposes, Mr J. 11. Sanders writes, in the “ Breeders Gaz.tte,” my own observation and experience go to show that the advantage is decidedly in favour of the fully matured sow. In my own herds I have noticed that there is usually, although not always, a gradual increase in the size of the litters produced (that is, the number of pigs in a litter), from the time the sow is one year old up to about the age of four years, alter wnicli there appears to be an average decline. As to the quality of tne pigs produced, other things being equal, 1 have not noticed any marked difference except that the voung sow is never so good a snckl°r os'is tse fully matured one, and, unless this difference in nutrition can be compensated for by an abundant snpply cf cow’s milk, the pigs from the young sow will not be near so large at a given age, and 1 very much doubt whether they will ever afterwarh make up for the lack of a healthy early growth and development. I am not much ot a believer in tne tneoi > that- “ stinted ” pigs or calves or col s will' ever be as good as the same animals would have been if reasonably veil kept from birth. Nature has provided onl> a limited period tor the growth and development of the young animal, and d from an\ cause the food and other conditions gjnu... to producing growth and development at the proper time are lacxmg, L do not think this lack can ever afterward be atoned for. On the other hand I have found young sows to be more likely to raise all the pigs they produce than are the old ones, especially when tne latt-i are allowed to become fat and clumsi. I have seldom, had a young sow to kill anv of' her young pigs by oyermying cn stepping on them, but some of mj old sows have given me a good deal °f tioublfrom that cause. A young sow is pie,t> sure vto jump up the instant one ot hei pigs gives a cry of pain, while many old sows grow very listless and careless. Therefore, to sum up, it I have plenty of cow’s milk for the pigs I "'ould pre er sows not over two years old. it the pi 0 s are to depend solely upon the son toi nutriment during the first six .or eignt week- of their existence, I can raise bett 1 and bigger pigs from sows two years old and over. But while the latter will produce more pigs, I douGV if tiiey rnUraise more than the younger ones. Lpon the cmesticn of the number ot pigs produced in a litter, my observation has led me to conclude that a good deal depends upoii the boar. I have used one boat " dlnn the past three years that usually got Ui w or triolets, while from another boai ma>... of the* same sows had previously sr-od-sized litters. Two young sows o, tho ga me litter were bred to different noar. last season —one of them to the boar abo--e mentioned, and she produced only tnree pigs, while the other (much the fatter orw of the two) produced seven. In mj- experience, the question of fatness of th p sow has had no' effect on .the size of the litter produced, although a very fat son is almost certain to kill a larger propoi ■ Non of the pigs produced than a lean one. The two sows in my nerd that hc.ie aiua, Veu notoriously the fattest ones have also a 1 wavs produced the largest Utters, but cannot say that they have raised the most mo-, One of them is very can in , quick ami active, however, and she Has seldom killed a pig. The other is as awkwaid as a cow. and while she nas had Horn eight to eleven pigs at a litter sir- Las usuail.killed about half of them. And <his suggests another point of vital importance If a sow is dull, sluggish and Mvkivaul a defective in her hearing, as sometinm' the case, or if with her first Utter she does not give enough milk to keep m or six pigs in good condition urn,i.. thej aie old eningh to begin to eat, is converted into pork the bmte . Up for her owner. It is nor a d mailt mar ter to detect this dull,sir, ggi,b. * nature in a gilt at six -Q'it f 7 and I woqld never select a «>o»i Pig to a breeder tfiat is not ahvG active ml of active carriage.