The period of gestation varies according to age, constitution, food, and
the peculiarities of the individual breed. The most usual period during
which the sow carries her young is, according to some, three months,
three weeks, and three days, or one hundred and eight days; according to
others, four lunar months, or sixteen weeks, or about one hundred and
thirteen days. It may safely be said to range from one hundred and nine
to one hundred and forty-three days.
[Illustration: WILD HOGS.]
The sow produces from eight to thirteen young at a litter, and sometimes
even more. Young and weakly sows not only produce fewer pigs, but farrow
earlier than those of maturer age and sounder condition; and besides, as
might be expected, their offspring are deficient in vigor, oftentimes,
indeed, puny and feeble. Extraordinary fecundity is not however,
desirable, for nourishment cannot be afforded to more than twelve, the
sow's number of teats. The supernumerary pigs must therefore suffer; if
but one, it is, of course, the smallest and weakest; a too numerous
litter are all, indeed, generally undersized and weakly, and seldom or
never prove profitable; a litter not exceeding ten will usually be found
to turn out most advantageously. On account of the discrepancy between
the number farrowed by different sows, it is a good plan, if it can be
managed, to have more than one breeding at the same time, in order that
the number to be suckled by each may be equalized. The sow seldom
recognizes the presence of a strange little one, if it has been
introduced among the others during her absence, and has lain for half an
hour or so among her own offspring in their sty.
The approach of the period of farrowing is marked by the immense size of
the belly, by a depression of the back, and by the distention of the
teats. The animal manifests symptoms of acute suffering, and wanders
restlessly about, collecting straw, and carrying it to her sty, grunting
piteously meanwhile. As soon as this is observed, she should be
persuaded into a separate sty, and carefully watched. On no account
should several sows be permitted to farrow in the same place at the same
time, as they will inevitably irritate each other, or devour their own
or one another's young.
The young ones should be taken away as soon as they are born, and
deposited in a warm spot; for the sow being a clumsy animal, is not
unlikely in her struggles to overlie them; nor should they be returned
to her, until all is over, and the after-birth has been removed, which
should always be done the moment it passes from her; for young sows,
especially, will invariably devour it, if permitted, and then, as the
young are wet with a similar fluid, and smell the same they will eat
them also, one after another. Some advise washing the backs of young
pigs with a decoction of aloes, colocynth, or some other nauseous
substance, as a remedy for this; but the simplest and easiest one is to
remove the little ones until all is over, and the mother begins to
recover herself and seek about for them, when they should be put near
her. Some also recommend strapping up the sow's mouth for the first
three or four days, only releasing it to admit of her taking her meals.
Some sows are apt to lie upon and crush their young. This may best be
avoided by not keeping her too fat or heavy, and by not leaving too many
young upon her. The straw forming the bed should likewise be short, and
not in too great quantity, lest the pigs get huddled up under it, and
the sow unconsciously overlie them in that condition.
It does not always happen that the parturition is effected with ease.
Cases of false presentation, of enlarged f[oe]tus, and of debility in
the mother, often render it difficult and dangerous. The womb will
occasionally become protruded and inverted, in consequence of the
forcing pains of difficult parturition, and even the bladder has been
known to come away. These parts must be returned as soon as may be; and
if the womb has come in contact with the dung or litter, and acquired
any dirt, it must first be washed in lukewarm water, and then returned,
and confined in its place by means of a suture passed through the lips
of the orifice. The easiest and perhaps the best way, however, is not to
return the protruded parts at all, but merely tie a ligature round them
and leave them to slough off, which they will do in the course of a few
days, without effusion of blood, or farther injury to the animal. No
sow that has once suffered from protrusion of the womb should be
allowed to breed again.