Bentley, M. R.

Regenbrecht, E. M.

English

Texas A&amp;M Repository

B-81 1943Hog Lot Equipment for Texas FarmsIssued byThe Extension ServiceAgricultural and Mechanical College of Texas andThe United States Department of AgricultureH. H. Williamson, Director, College Station, TexasHoy Lot Equipment for Texas FarmsByE. M. Regenbreckt, Swine HusbandmanM. R. Bentley, Agricultural EngineerExtension Service, A. and M. College of TexasTHE BEST WAY to make hog raising profitable in Texas isto graze the hogs upon pastures prepared especially forthem, supplementing the green food with home grown grain,skim milk, and other feeds. Cultivated pastures properlymanaged will greatly cheapen the cost of producing hogs andat the same time tend to prevent worms, unthriftiness, diseasesand other ailments common to hogs. This is all a part of goodmanagement, which in turn is greatly aided by the use of suit-able equipment. The purpose of this bulletin is to discuss, andto give methods for constructing some of the equipment neededfor growing and fattening hogs cheaply in Texas.Build Movable Farrowing HousesProper housing is an important factor in the successfulraising of hogs. Shelter is of utmost importance at farrowingtime, and therefore hog houses should be so constructed thatthey will make good farrowing houses. Individual farrowinghouses should be so constructed that they can easily be moved.Before the sow farrows, the house should be moved into afield that has been planted to a grazing crop. If the houseis so constructed that it cannot be easily moved this importantpoint of successful hog production will frequently be neglected,and as a result the pigs will be farrowed on unsanitary groundand will soon become wormy. Farrowing houses should belarge enough to permit the sow to approach the bed in anatural way so that she will not mash the pigs. A farrowinghouse should be not less than eight feet by eight feet in size.2K----- 8'-0" ----~;;LJo/tSECTIONREARShed Roof Type Portable Farrowing House-Blueprint No. 162The farrowing house plan sl10wn above has given satisfac-tory results in Texas. Note that this house is so constructedthat all sides can be raised to provide good ventilation inwarm weather. A large number of openings, of course, in-creases the cost of the house. rrhis house can b.e cheapened byclosing one or both ends. If only one end is closed it is best toclose the west end, because in summer the west doors should3be closed each afternoon to prevent the sun from shining in.Therefore, the openings on the west end are not of as muchvalue as the others.Pig Guard RailsPig guard rails should be provided on all four sides ofthe farrowing pen. The lower outer edge of these guardrails should be about 10 inches above the floor and 10 inchesfrom the wall. When placed in this position the guard railprovides enough room for the pigs to go under it, even thoughsome bedding has accumulated.Corner Guard RailGuard rails placed across one corner of the house givegood results. Pigs can easily be trained to stay under theguard rail if a bed made out of straw is p,ut under the guard"rail. New born pigs should be placed under the guard rail as',,Soon as they are through nursing. If the caretaker runs themunder the rail a few times they soon learn that the rail is theirprotection.4Electric Pig Brooder- - ---__-,~ _-P/!lhoar~-or-fo"'gl/eand groove lumber- ---;--- ------ - ----------------------------tPig guard rail across corner of pen J lo"onove floor.Electric Brooder in Corner of PenThe sows should be placed in the pens a day or so beforefarrowing, and the heat turned on in the brooder several hours·before the pigs arrive. The heat is ordinarily kept on continu-ously for 10 days, and if the weather is very cold for 2 weeks.The pigs can be placed under the brooder by hand till theylearn to go under voluntarily. In some cases placing the pigunder the brooder once or twice is sufficient, while in othercases it takes a day or two of training or occasional attention.Keeping the pigs under the brooder (by blocking the brooderentrance) for one or two hours soon after they are born, un-til they are warm and dry, is generally helpful.Guard rails should not be removed when brooders areinstalled.The brooder must always be securely fastened in place.If it is desired to move the brooder from one farrowing pen toanother provision should be made to fasten securely in placein each pen.(The brooder consists of a wooden cover made in a trian-gular shape, with a 100 watt electric lamp shining through ahole in the cover: Too large a lamp may burn the pigs.The brooder cover should be about 20" above the floor.A 2" x 4 " should be placed above the brooder front to keepthe sow off the brooder top.5I r-l - (.IZ· .. ~',O· r" 1,;~&.IId t,~t5~ TIt. CUA7.ii~1"'"dO' ~ ~ ,..,~ ",>,'O~ 0 III ~~o ",0 .; I! V VII ~tlOLH.&11,II. ,II J I II --=::::::::ii~ 'II" ! i II-Je.) .~ I""c It r-T :H- ~ "!.-j ":~-'"",a. ; ~., ,~p'"I/) ~ ~+ .~ J- ~l +1LJ~ ±~~8 b.1. 1~o I ~II I .... ~ i'l2u .... ~Q.., I 1I 3',0 I I. ~ ~ 0 N T ,,'-0'ID', O'. ~ D L (. W·"A" Type Portable Farrowing House-Blueprint o. 19"A" Type House Is InexpensiveThe "A" type house is the most inexpensive hou~e tobuild. It is a warm house for winter use but is not as cool insummer as the shed roof house shown heretofore. Becausethe "A" type house tends to be hot in summer, it is especiallyimportant that it be well ventilated. The ventilating doors inthe 'sides must be so constructed and fitted that they can beopened for ventilation in hot weather and can be closed sothey will not leak for winter use.6Large Central Farrowing HousesBlueprint plans for large central farrowing houses areavailable and can be obtained from county agricultural agentsor by writing to the Swine Husbandman, Extension Service,College Station, Texps.It Pays to Have Sheds for Fattening HogsIt pays to provide fattening hogs with plenty of shade inwarm weather and protection from cold and- rain in badweather. The shed should be high enough and open enoughto permit a good circulation of air in warm weather. It shouldalso be built so as to close tightly enough to give ample protec-tion in winter. Shade trees will serve the purpose of a shed insummer, but they will not do for winter protection.Shed for Stocker or Fattening HogsA well constructed, movable farrowing house will makea good fattening hog shed and should be used for this purposewhen not needed for so\vs with small pigs. The fattening hogshed illustrated here will also give good results. Note thatboth ends of this shed are closed and that the back or northside is made of doors hinged at the top. These can be raisedin summer. The roof is made of sheet iron. A shed thus con-structed gives ample protection to stocker and feeder hogsand is very cool in summer. The shed, however, is not movableand therefore is not suitable as a farrowing house. This typeof shed can be improved if built with a concrete floor.For summer use only, a shade may be made with a brushor straw covering, as shown in the picture on the next page.7Brush ShadeRoofsThe roof of any type of hog house is important. Corru-gated iron is very popular because it lasts well and if properlylaid does not leak. For wet or cold weather the roof and wallsfor a windbreak are important features, but when a house isto be used in hot weather, it is important that plenty of ven-tilation be provided. In order that a house with a sheet ironroof may be kept cool in the summer, it is well to place theroof rather high-not less than five feet above the floor.Troughs Are ImportantA few suggestions on the construction of feed troughsmay be helpful. Both the flat bottomed and the "V" shapedtroughs have their place. The "V" trough is usually preferredas a milk or slop trough, because hogs can lick it cleaner. Theflat bottomed trough has a much larger capacity and there-fore is much preferred as a water trough.One end of "V" trough8The sketch shows the construction of both flat bottomedand "V" shaped troughs that have proved satisfactory. Wideror narrower pieces of lumber may be used in the same mannerfor other sizes of troughs. Note the double ends. Ends builtlike this do not knock off easily. They also make the troughleak proof. It is b.est to use separate troughs for water andfor feed.One of themain featuresin providing awater supplyfor hogs is toget a s u f f i-cient quantitya v a i I able sothat they ma)Tget waterwhenever theYwant it. Nu-merous auto-matic w ate rsystems a r (~use d, but asa depend-able and cheaparrange men tthe trougllshown haspro v e d verysatisfac-tory. Enoughtrough capac-ity should beprovidedso that one fill-ing per d a "'Iiwill assure allabundant sup-ply for theWater Trough-Blueprint No. 160Water Trough Made Out of Oil Field Pipe(Note partition between float-valve and drinking place)9hogs. This trough is arranged so that a hog cannot wallow in itand the cover is arranged for easy cleaning of the trough.Many farmers who have a farm water system prefer touse water troughs with automatic float valves. Small inexpen-sive float valves, of a type designed for poultry troughs, canbe purchased and work very well. The trough of course mustbe so built that hogs cannot get to the float valve and thetrough must also be so arranged that it can be easily cleanedas mud in the trough will stop up the float valve. The troughneed not be large. A drinking place 6 inches by 8 inches willprovide 30 head of hogs with ample water.Box Is An Aid To Mineral FeedingThe mineral box should be so designed that the contentswill not be wasted. The box as shown here would provide con-siderab1e protection from rain.Of course it would be still bet-ter to locate the mineral boxunder a roof so as to give themineral additional protectionfrom rain and wind. It shouldbe anchored to the building 01"fence to prevent hogs fromMineral Box upsetting it.Self Feeders Are PopularSelf feeders have been found satisfactory and economicalfor feeding hogs in large numbers. When hogs have access todifferent kinds of feeds necessary to produce pork they us-ually balance their rations satisfactorily. The feeds shouldbe placed in separate feeders or in separate compartments ofthe same feeder.A good serviceable type of self feeder may be readily con-structed "by any farmer. Note that the drawing shows a flapto cover the trough that the pig eats from. This prevents rainfrom blowing into the feed and also keeps chickens fromscratching out the feed. A pig will soon learn to lift this flapwith his nose and eat; then when he withdraws his head theflap drops down and covers the feed. It is important that theflaps be selected from a board that will not split easily.More than that, they will have to be re-inforced with strips ofthin lumb.er running crossways. The hinges on the flaps mustbe fastened with small bolts. Hinges fastened with nails orscrews will not stay in place very long when they get the roughtreatment that hogs will give them on these feeders.The self feeder may be made either shorter or longer than10'~~ Z'X,,,~-END FRONT~H ~~ '):: ~~ i.' - >( ~. .~~ ~FLOOR PLAN' ...~1THOUGH LIDl~~---- ~'-2"SE.CTION~iII~ -.z'jcf-'N..i/ flllDT ,to 1';2" Anti 2''¥''; f./'"nn4,'1 :z·'x'l ..,S,II.s 1-. ".+~ /IDlIr 1"0/,,,,",.,.,/1 C .... sy r,,,,,*1 ~r ;/I/s.TISelf Feed,er f"r Outdoor Use-Printed Plan o. 157the one shown. In figuring the length of a feeder allow onelinear foot of trough sp,ace for every two or three hogs. Afeeder more than eight feet long would be too large for con-venient handling. For a big herd of hogs use several feedersrather than one large one.The feeder shown is designed for outdoor use. If thefeeder is to be used only under a shed, the flaps and covermay be left off in order to reduce the cost of the feeder.11Feeding Floors Are Valuable\., .. ' • ,I '• '. 'r CONCRETE ' .. '~ :. '.,.", ..... '.. \ ...0, ta...... ' \ ~, .. , .• I\ '. ,. '., . ,,', '\~"'.' ,... \,-': " "... : ,"'\<-~' ", :SecfionConcrete Feeding FloorWhere hogs are fed corn on the cob or milo in the head,a good feeding floor will soon pay for itself. There is con-siderable waste when grain is fed in the dust or mud. Woodfeeding floors answer the purpose for a time but soon rotout, permit waste of feed and become unsanitary. Concretefloors are cheaper in the long run and are more sanitary. Feed-ing floors should be built high enough above the ground toprevent water washing over them and to prevent waste fromaccumulating on them. To determine the size of floor to build,allow eight square feet per hog.A fence around the feeding floor is suggested as a meansof preventing the hogs from carrying feed off the floor andwasting it.Concrete Feeding Floor with Shed and WallowA numb.er of hog growers have constructed a combinedfeeding floor with hog shelter and hog wallow in a compactunit. The entire floor is made of concrete. About half of thefloor space is under the shed and half on the outside of theshed. Such feeding floors should have a good slope to providedrainage. About 16 square feet of floor space is required perhog., These feeding floors improve efficiency and save labor,not only on farms of heavy soil where mud becomes a seriousproblem but also on farms of sandy soil where a large numberof hogs are fed. Concrete floors provide the best means ofimproving sanitation in hog lots.12Concrete Feeding Floor with Shed and WallowHogs Need a WallowHog wallows are very necessary in Texas, especially ifhogs are to be fattened during the summer. A wallow pro-vides the best means possible for keeping the hogs cool. Thewallow should be placed near the shade provided for the hogs,but the shade should never be built directly over the wallow.If the shade is directly over the wallow all the hogs will belying in the water all day. This is not good for the hogs andalso would require a larger wallow than is necessary. If on theother hand the shade is several yards away from the wallowonly a few hogs will b·e in the wallow at a time, and they re-main in the water just long enough to get wet. Then they goback to the shade and as the breeze blows over the wet hogsthey are kept perfectly· cool.Drinking water for the hogs should be provided in atrough placed in the wallow. A good wooden trough will dofor this purpose. If piped water is available the faucet canbe so located that a small stream from it will be continuouslyrunning into the trough and overflowing into the wallow.If these provisions are made, hogs will not drink the water illthe wallow but will always go to the trough to drink. Withthese arrangements there is also no tendency for hogs tomuddy up their drinking water or to root the ground aroundthe water trough.13Dra/n ~'. 0Wooden plu9~ ,~~.' ~ ...-==== - - -===----- -CR055 SECTION Scale -%s":: I'hJj;~iif~I(F~~'~==~~~~og ::: ~e:fo:;:, .,' '.' :~O~d~:,:'.":.-::o f3 ottom of concrefe wall~ 5ECTION LENGTHWISE Scale ~";:"Concrete H~g Wallow-Blueprint No. 277A fence around the hog wallow is suggested so that thehogs will not get the ground wet all around the wallow and thenroot in it. This is a means of economizing on concrete since itis then necessary to protect the wallow against the rootingof the hogs only at the small entrance provided for them.A good wallow properly located makes a good feedingfloor in seasons when the wallow is not needed.Dipping VatA dipping vat is useful to control mange on farms wherelarge numbers of hogs are kept. Blueprints of hog dippingvats may be obtained from the County Agricultural Agentsor by writing to the Swine Husbandman, Extension Service,College Station, Texas.Shipping Crate Often HandyCrates for shipping hogs should be constructed with twomain objects in view: to make them secure so that no accidentcan happen in transit, and to get the maximum amount ofspaCe for the lumber used and the weight of the crate. Acrate should b.e constructed of strong, light material and havea neat, attractive appearance. It should have a door at eachend to permit the hog to walk in and also to walk out. It is14difficult to make a hog back out of the crate and sometimesresults in injury. The inside of the crate should be smooth,hence all cleats and braces should be on the outside. A 1" x 6"instead of a I" x 4" as the first side slat at the bottom, on eachside, is preferred by some. The floor should be supported asshown, otherwise some of the floor planks may be pulled off.Shipping Crate for HogsThe table given herewith shows the size of crates fordifferent size hogs.Size of Hog Dime'Dsion of CrateWeight in Pounds Length Height Width50 3'-3" 23" 12"100 3'-6" 24" 14"150 3'-8" 28" 15"200 4'-2" 30" 16"250 4'-6" 33" 17"300 5'-0" 34" 18"400 5'-4" 36" 20"500 5'-8" 37" 21"600 6'-0" 38" 22"15Loading ChutesEvery farm that keeps as many as two brood sows shouldhave a loading chute. Lifting hogs into a wagon or truck isnot only hard work, but often results in injury to the hogs.The hogs are often allowed to drop from the wagon or truckand are inj ured. This is especially true in regard to breedinganimals. The loading chute is just about as valuable for un-loading as for loading. The best permanently located loadingchutes have a dirt floor. Hogs are not accustomed to woodenfloors and therefore usually refuse to go up an incline madeof wood. Portable loading chutes are sometimes desired. Plansfor a portable hog loading chute are available and can besecured from the County Agricultural Agent or by writingto the Extension Service, College Station, Texas.Breeding CrateVery often swine breeders have a good breeding boarthat they would like to keep in their herd for several years.Often these boars are of such size that they cannot be matedsuccessfully to young sows. A breeding crate is very necessaryin a case of this kind. A blueprint of a breeding crate is avail-able and can be secured from the County Agricultural Agent,or by writing to the Swine Husbandman, Extension Service,at College Station.Hog RingersOccasionally it becomes necessary to put rings in hogs'noses to prevent them from rooting. Hogs fed a completelybalanced ration will not root their pastures full of holes. Hogsshould be fed a balanced ration not only to keep them fromrooting and catching chickens, but because balanced rationspay. Even though hogs are fed a balanced ration, they will dosome rooting at times. This is especially noticeable in hotweather when they dig out large holes in moist dirt. To pre-vent this, ringing is a good practice. Hog rings and ringersmay be obtained at nearly any hardware store.Hogs are sometimes n1arked with ear tags put in withan ear punch. Others mark their hogs with "V" shaped notchesin the edges of the ears. Punches for these purposes are on themarket.In the PicturesOn the Cover: M. G. Perkins, former county agriculturalagent of Burleson County, and J. C. Godby, Burleson County4-H Club boy, watch J. C.'s hogs in the concrete hog wallow.On Page 9: Dr. J. E. Bauer of Refugio at his hog water-ing trough.Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Agricultural andMechanical College of Texas and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating.Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914.10Jd-1-4316

Hog Lot Equipment for Texas Farms.

Texas A&M University

B-81 1943
Hog Lot Equipment for Texas Farms
Issued by
The Extension Service
Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas and
The United States Department of Agriculture
H. H. Williamson, Director, College Station, Texas
Hoy Lot Equipment for Texas Farms
By
E. M. Regenbreckt, Swine Husbandman
M. R. Bentley, Agricultural Engineer
Extension Service, A. and M. College of Texas
THE BEST WAY to make hog raising profitable in Texas isto graze the hogs upon pastures prepared especially for
them, supplementing the green food with home grown grain,
skim milk, and other feeds. Cultivated pastures properly
managed will greatly cheapen the cost of producing hogs and
at the same time tend to prevent worms, unthriftiness, diseases
and other ailments common to hogs. This is all a part of good
management, which in turn is greatly aided by the use of suit-
able equipment. The purpose of this bulletin is to discuss, and
to give methods for constructing some of the equipment needed
for growing and fattening hogs cheaply in Texas.
Build Movable Farrowing Houses
Proper housing is an important factor in the successful
raising of hogs. Shelter is of utmost importance at farrowing
time, and therefore hog houses should be so constructed that
they will make good farrowing houses. Individual farrowing
houses should be so constructed that they can easily be moved.
Before the sow farrows, the house should be moved into a
field that has been planted to a grazing crop. If the house
is so constructed that it cannot be easily moved this important
point of successful hog production will frequently be neglected,
and as a result the pigs will be farrowed on unsanitary ground
and will soon become wormy. Farrowing houses should be
large enough to permit the sow to approach the bed in a
natural way so that she will not mash the pigs. A farrowing
house should be not less than eight feet by eight feet in size.
2
K----- 8'-0" ----~
;;LJo/t
SECTION
REAR
Shed Roof Type Portable Farrowing House-Blueprint No. 162
The farrowing house plan sl10wn above has given satisfac-
tory results in Texas. Note that this house is so constructed
that all sides can be raised to provide good ventilation in
warm weather. A large number of openings, of course, in-
creases the cost of the house. rrhis house can b.e cheapened by
closing one or both ends. If only one end is closed it is best to
close the west end, because in summer the west doors should
3
be closed each afternoon to prevent the sun from shining in.
Therefore, the openings on the west end are not of as much
value as the others.
Pig Guard Rails
Pig guard rails should be provided on all four sides of
the farrowing pen. The lower outer edge of these guard
rails should be about 10 inches above the floor and 10 inches
from the wall. When placed in this position the guard rail
provides enough room for the pigs to go under it, even though
some bedding has accumulated.
Corner Guard Rail
Guard rails placed across one corner of the house give
good results. Pigs can easily be trained to stay under the
guard rail if a bed made out of straw is p,ut under the guard
"rail. New born pigs should be placed under the guard rail as
',,Soon as they are through nursing. If the caretaker runs them
under the rail a few times they soon learn that the rail is their
protection.
4
Electric Pig Brooder
- - ---
__-,~ _-P/!lhoar~-or-fo"'gl/eand groove lumber
- ---;--- ------ - --
--------------------------t
Pig guard rail across corner of pen J lo"onove floor.
Electric Brooder in Corner of Pen
The sows should be placed in the pens a day or so before
farrowing, and the heat turned on in the brooder several hours·
before the pigs arrive. The heat is ordinarily kept on continu-
ously for 10 days, and if the weather is very cold for 2 weeks.
The pigs can be placed under the brooder by hand till they
learn to go under voluntarily. In some cases placing the pig
under the brooder once or twice is sufficient, while in other
cases it takes a day or two of training or occasional attention.
Keeping the pigs under the brooder (by blocking the brooder
entrance) for one or two hours soon after they are born, un-
til they are warm and dry, is generally helpful.
Guard rails should not be removed when brooders are
installed.
The brooder must always be securely fastened in place.
If it is desired to move the brooder from one farrowing pen to
another provision should be made to fasten securely in place
in each pen.
(
The brooder consists of a wooden cover made in a trian-
gular shape, with a 100 watt electric lamp shining through a
hole in the cover: Too large a lamp may burn the pigs.
The brooder cover should be about 20" above the floor.
A 2" x 4 " should be placed above the brooder front to keep
the sow off the brooder top.
5
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&.II
d t,~
t5~ TIt. CUA7.ii~
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.&11
,II. ,II J I II --=::::::::ii
~ 'II" ! i II-Je.) .~ I""c It r-T :H- ~ "!.-j ":~-'"",a. ; ~., ,~p'"I/) ~ ~+ .~ J- ~l +1LJ~ ±~~8 b.1. 1~o I ~
II I .... ~ i'l2u .... ~Q.., I 1I 3',0 I I. ~ ~ 0 N T ,,'-0'ID', O'. ~ D L (. W·
"A" Type Portable Farrowing House-Blueprint o. 19
"A" Type House Is Inexpensive
The "A" type house is the most inexpensive hou~e to
build. It is a warm house for winter use but is not as cool in
summer as the shed roof house shown heretofore. Because
the "A" type house tends to be hot in summer, it is especially
important that it be well ventilated. The ventilating doors in
the 'sides must be so constructed and fitted that they can be
opened for ventilation in hot weather and can be closed so
they will not leak for winter use.
6
Large Central Farrowing Houses
Blueprint plans for large central farrowing houses are
available and can be obtained from county agricultural agents
or by writing to the Swine Husbandman, Extension Service,
College Station, Texps.
It Pays to Have Sheds for Fattening Hogs
It pays to provide fattening hogs with plenty of shade in
warm weather and protection from cold and- rain in bad
weather. The shed should be high enough and open enough
to permit a good circulation of air in warm weather. It should
also be built so as to close tightly enough to give ample protec-
tion in winter. Shade trees will serve the purpose of a shed in
summer, but they will not do for winter protection.
Shed for Stocker or Fattening Hogs
A well constructed, movable farrowing house will make
a good fattening hog shed and should be used for this purpose
when not needed for so\vs with small pigs. The fattening hog
shed illustrated here will also give good results. Note that
both ends of this shed are closed and that the back or north
side is made of doors hinged at the top. These can be raised
in summer. The roof is made of sheet iron. A shed thus con-
structed gives ample protection to stocker and feeder hogs
and is very cool in summer. The shed, however, is not movable
and therefore is not suitable as a farrowing house. This type
of shed can be improved if built with a concrete floor.
For summer use only, a shade may be made with a brush
or straw covering, as shown in the picture on the next page.
7
Brush Shade
Roofs
The roof of any type of hog house is important. Corru-
gated iron is very popular because it lasts well and if properly
laid does not leak. For wet or cold weather the roof and walls
for a windbreak are important features, but when a house is
to be used in hot weather, it is important that plenty of ven-
tilation be provided. In order that a house with a sheet iron
roof may be kept cool in the summer, it is well to place the
roof rather high-not less than five feet above the floor.
Troughs Are Important
A few suggestions on the construction of feed troughs
may be helpful. Both the flat bottomed and the "V" shaped
troughs have their place. The "V" trough is usually preferred
as a milk or slop trough, because hogs can lick it cleaner. The
flat bottomed trough has a much larger capacity and there-
fore is much preferred as a water trough.
One end of "V" trough
8
The sketch shows the construction of both flat bottomed
and "V" shaped troughs that have proved satisfactory. Wider
or narrower pieces of lumber may be used in the same manner
for other sizes of troughs. Note the double ends. Ends built
like this do not knock off easily. They also make the trough
leak proof. It is b.est to use separate troughs for water and
for feed.
One of the
main features
in providing a
water supply
for hogs is to
get a s u f f i-
cient quantity
a v a i I able so
that they ma)T
get water
whenever theY
want it. Nu-
merous auto-
matic w ate r
systems a r (~
use d, but as
a depend-
able and cheap
arrange men t
the trougll
shown has
pro v e d very
satisfac-
tory. Enough
trough capac-
ity should be
provided
so that one fill-
ing per d a "'Ii
will assure all
abundant sup-
ply for the
Water Trough-Blueprint No. 160
Water Trough Made Out of Oil Field Pipe
(Note partition between float-valve and drinking place)
9
hogs. This trough is arranged so that a hog cannot wallow in it
and the cover is arranged for easy cleaning of the trough.
Many farmers who have a farm water system prefer to
use water troughs with automatic float valves. Small inexpen-
sive float valves, of a type designed for poultry troughs, can
be purchased and work very well. The trough of course must
be so built that hogs cannot get to the float valve and the
trough must also be so arranged that it can be easily cleaned
as mud in the trough will stop up the float valve. The trough
need not be large. A drinking place 6 inches by 8 inches will
provide 30 head of hogs with ample water.
Box Is An Aid To Mineral Feeding
The mineral box should be so designed that the contents
will not be wasted. The box as shown here would provide con-
siderab1e protection from rain.
Of course it would be still bet-
ter to locate the mineral box
under a roof so as to give the
mineral additional protection
from rain and wind. It should
be anchored to the building 01"
fence to prevent hogs from
Mineral Box upsetting it.
Self Feeders Are Popular
Self feeders have been found satisfactory and economical
for feeding hogs in large numbers. When hogs have access to
different kinds of feeds necessary to produce pork they us-
ually balance their rations satisfactorily. The feeds should
be placed in separate feeders or in separate compartments of
the same feeder.
A good serviceable type of self feeder may be readily con-
structed "by any farmer. Note that the drawing shows a flap
to cover the trough that the pig eats from. This prevents rain
from blowing into the feed and also keeps chickens from
scratching out the feed. A pig will soon learn to lift this flap
with his nose and eat; then when he withdraws his head the
flap drops down and covers the feed. It is important that the
flaps be selected from a board that will not split easily.
More than that, they will have to be re-inforced with strips of
thin lumb.er running crossways. The hinges on the flaps must
be fastened with small bolts. Hinges fastened with nails or
screws will not stay in place very long when they get the rough
treatment that hogs will give them on these feeders.
The self feeder may be made either shorter or longer than
10
'~~ Z'X,,,~-
END FRONT
~H ~~ '):: ~~ i.' - >( ~. .~~ ~
FLOOR PLAN
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THOUGH LID
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SE.CTION
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Self Feed,er f"r Outdoor Use-Printed Plan o. 157
the one shown. In figuring the length of a feeder allow one
linear foot of trough sp,ace for every two or three hogs. A
feeder more than eight feet long would be too large for con-
venient handling. For a big herd of hogs use several feeders
rather than one large one.
The feeder shown is designed for outdoor use. If the
feeder is to be used only under a shed, the flaps and cover
may be left off in order to reduce the cost of the feeder.
11
Feeding Floors Are Valuable
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• '. 'r CONCRETE ' .. '~ :. '.
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Secfion
Concrete Feeding Floor
Where hogs are fed corn on the cob or milo in the head,
a good feeding floor will soon pay for itself. There is con-
siderable waste when grain is fed in the dust or mud. Wood
feeding floors answer the purpose for a time but soon rot
out, permit waste of feed and become unsanitary. Concrete
floors are cheaper in the long run and are more sanitary. Feed-
ing floors should be built high enough above the ground to
prevent water washing over them and to prevent waste from
accumulating on them. To determine the size of floor to build,
allow eight square feet per hog.
A fence around the feeding floor is suggested as a means
of preventing the hogs from carrying feed off the floor and
wasting it.
Concrete Feeding Floor with Shed and Wallow
A numb.er of hog growers have constructed a combined
feeding floor with hog shelter and hog wallow in a compact
unit. The entire floor is made of concrete. About half of the
floor space is under the shed and half on the outside of the
shed. Such feeding floors should have a good slope to provide
drainage. About 16 square feet of floor space is required per
hog., These feeding floors improve efficiency and save labor,
not only on farms of heavy soil where mud becomes a serious
problem but also on farms of sandy soil where a large number
of hogs are fed. Concrete floors provide the best means of
improving sanitation in hog lots.
12
Concrete Feeding Floor with Shed and Wallow
Hogs Need a Wallow
Hog wallows are very necessary in Texas, especially if
hogs are to be fattened during the summer. A wallow pro-
vides the best means possible for keeping the hogs cool. The
wallow should be placed near the shade provided for the hogs,
but the shade should never be built directly over the wallow.
If the shade is directly over the wallow all the hogs will be
lying in the water all day. This is not good for the hogs and
also would require a larger wallow than is necessary. If on the
other hand the shade is several yards away from the wallow
only a few hogs will b·e in the wallow at a time, and they re-
main in the water just long enough to get wet. Then they go
back to the shade and as the breeze blows over the wet hogs
they are kept perfectly· cool.
Drinking water for the hogs should be provided in a
trough placed in the wallow. A good wooden trough will do
for this purpose. If piped water is available the faucet can
be so located that a small stream from it will be continuously
running into the trough and overflowing into the wallow.
If these provisions are made, hogs will not drink the water ill
the wallow but will always go to the trough to drink. With
these arrangements there is also no tendency for hogs to
muddy up their drinking water or to root the ground around
the water trough.
13
Dra/n ~'. 0
Wooden plu9~ ,
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CR055 SECTION Scale -%s":: I'
hJj;~iif~I(F~~'~==~~~~og ::: ~e:fo:;:, .,' '.' :~O~d~:,:'.":.-::
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~ 5ECTION LENGTHWISE Scale ~";:"
Concrete H~g Wallow-Blueprint No. 277
A fence around the hog wallow is suggested so that the
hogs will not get the ground wet all around the wallow and then
root in it. This is a means of economizing on concrete since it
is then necessary to protect the wallow against the rooting
of the hogs only at the small entrance provided for them.
A good wallow properly located makes a good feeding
floor in seasons when the wallow is not needed.
Dipping Vat
A dipping vat is useful to control mange on farms where
large numbers of hogs are kept. Blueprints of hog dipping
vats may be obtained from the County Agricultural Agents
or by writing to the Swine Husbandman, Extension Service,
College Station, Texas.
Shipping Crate Often Handy
Crates for shipping hogs should be constructed with two
main objects in view: to make them secure so that no accident
can happen in transit, and to get the maximum amount of
spaCe for the lumber used and the weight of the crate. A
crate should b.e constructed of strong, light material and have
a neat, attractive appearance. It should have a door at each
end to permit the hog to walk in and also to walk out. It is
14
difficult to make a hog back out of the crate and sometimes
results in injury. The inside of the crate should be smooth,
hence all cleats and braces should be on the outside. A 1" x 6"
instead of a I" x 4" as the first side slat at the bottom, on each
side, is preferred by some. The floor should be supported as
shown, otherwise some of the floor planks may be pulled off.
Shipping Crate for Hogs
The table given herewith shows the size of crates for
different size hogs.
Size of Hog Dime'Dsion of Crate
Weight in Pounds Length Height Width
50 3'-3" 23" 12"
100 3'-6" 24" 14"
150 3'-8" 28" 15"
200 4'-2" 30" 16"
250 4'-6" 33" 17"
300 5'-0" 34" 18"
400 5'-4" 36" 20"
500 5'-8" 37" 21"
600 6'-0" 38" 22"
15
Loading Chutes
Every farm that keeps as many as two brood sows should
have a loading chute. Lifting hogs into a wagon or truck is
not only hard work, but often results in injury to the hogs.
The hogs are often allowed to drop from the wagon or truck
and are inj ured. This is especially true in regard to breeding
animals. The loading chute is just about as valuable for un-
loading as for loading. The best permanently located loading
chutes have a dirt floor. Hogs are not accustomed to wooden
floors and therefore usually refuse to go up an incline made
of wood. Portable loading chutes are sometimes desired. Plans
for a portable hog loading chute are available and can be
secured from the County Agricultural Agent or by writing
to the Extension Service, College Station, Texas.
Breeding Crate
Very often swine breeders have a good breeding boar
that they would like to keep in their herd for several years.
Often these boars are of such size that they cannot be mated
successfully to young sows. A breeding crate is very necessary
in a case of this kind. A blueprint of a breeding crate is avail-
able and can be secured from the County Agricultural Agent,
or by writing to the Swine Husbandman, Extension Service,
at College Station.
Hog Ringers
Occasionally it becomes necessary to put rings in hogs'
noses to prevent them from rooting. Hogs fed a completely
balanced ration will not root their pastures full of holes. Hogs
should be fed a balanced ration not only to keep them from
rooting and catching chickens, but because balanced rations
pay. Even though hogs are fed a balanced ration, they will do
some rooting at times. This is especially noticeable in hot
weather when they dig out large holes in moist dirt. To pre-
vent this, ringing is a good practice. Hog rings and ringers
may be obtained at nearly any hardware store.
Hogs are sometimes n1arked with ear tags put in with
an ear punch. Others mark their hogs with "V" shaped notches
in the edges of the ears. Punches for these purposes are on the
market.
In the Pictures
On the Cover: M. G. Perkins, former county agricultural
agent of Burleson County, and J. C. Godby, Burleson County
4-H Club boy, watch J. C.'s hogs in the concrete hog wallow.
On Page 9: Dr. J. E. Bauer of Refugio at his hog water-
ing trough.
Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Agricultural and
Mechanical College of Texas and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating.
Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914.
10Jd-1-43
16


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Hog Lot Equipment for Texas Farms.

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Hog Lot Equipment for Texas Farms.

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