into
the trough. When this is evident, it is advisable to feed the little
pigs apart from the sow; a low flat trough is best, as one with high
sides is said to cause "high backed" pigs, or pigs suffering from a
curvature of the spine. If a little milk can be obtained, the pigs will
promptly drink it, if the milk be whole they will thrive best, but even
if only skim or separated milk be obtainable, or butter milk, providing
that it be drawn off ere the salt is put into the churn, a small
quantity will be beneficial, but the pigs will not be able to digest so
large a quantity of the separated as of the whole milk. The former is
apt to have a constipating effect on the bowels of the youngsters.
Should an ample supply of separated milk be available it can be fed
through the sow, who will be better able to digest it, and whose yield
of milk will be increased, provided that sufficient separated milk to
affect her bowels be not given to her. A few kernels of wheat or white
peas will be readily eaten by the little pigs, which will benefit
therefrom.

If no other food is available, sharps, or whatever the local term for
the finer miller's offals may be, mixed with a little warm water and fed
to the piglings, will prove beneficial, care being taken to give only so
much as the pigs will eat up readily, or that any surplus is taken away,
so that it does not become sour, as in this last condition it will cause
diarrh[oe]a in the young pigs.

When the pigs are about six weeks old the sow can be allowed to remain
from them for a longer time, and the youngsters fed two or three times
each day. The sow's milk will then gradually dry up, and the pigs will
become accustomed to the food, so that when the latter are about eight
weeks old they will have become weaned naturally, and receive no check
from the loss of the sow's milk. This system, will also prevent any
trouble arising from the collection of milk in the sow's udder, and the
occasional attacks of inflammation or garget which follow a chill to the
sow when her udder is in an inflamed condition from being closely
impacted with milk.

Assuming that the economical and beneficial practice of supplying the
suckling sow with vegetable food of some kind after the pigs are some
three or four weeks old has been adopted, the pigs will have become
accustomed to its consumption. It will be found to be advisable to
continue this whether it has taken the form of cooked potatoes, of
mangolds,