de elsewhere to the manner in which the young pigs should
be cared for until they are weaned from their dam, but no harm can arise
from a repetition of the advice that the young pigs should be so managed
and fed that only the very slightest difference will be noticed by the
youngsters when parted from their mother. Many pigs are permanently
checked in growth by being suddenly deprived of a full supply of
mother's milk if weaned when their digestive organs are insufficiently
developed as to treat a sufficiency of food to make growth and progress
without the assistance received from their mother's milk.

Opinions differ as to the age at which little pigs are sufficiently
developed as to exist and thrive without their dam's help. Here again
the time of the year, not only as far as the weather is concerned, but
the desirability of prompt or deferred remating of the sow in order that
her succeeding litters should arrive during the most favourable portions
of the year, must be considered. The thrift and growth of each litter
of pigs varies greatly. The health of the sow, her condition before
farrowing, and other causes, some of which are not always on the
surface, have their influence, but it may be taken as a rule that young
pigs are fully able to fend for themselves by the time they are eight
weeks old. Should it be possible to allow the pigs to remain on the sow
for so long a time as twelve weeks without prejudicing the next litters
as to the time of year of their arrival, the pigs may benefit, and no
loss of food will be sustained, since it has been clearly proved that
pigs beyond the age of eight weeks can be fed quite as economically, if
not more so, on the sow than if weaned. It may also be possible to feed
the sow on somewhat coarser and less expensive food than could be
satisfactorily fed to the young pigs, as her digestive organs would be
better able to treat the coarser food. Another advantage generally
follows keeping the pigs for a longer time on the sow if the latter be
well fed is that she will be in a stronger and better condition to start
the building up of her next litter.

As a rule young pigs will commence to eat when they are from three to
four weeks old. If the sow is fed in the sty in which the little pigs
are, these will endeavour to share in the food; at first they may
content themselves with licking any food which may be outside the
trough, but they quickly show a desire for more, and attempt to get