Successful pork production depends first upon selection of good breeding stock. The ability to produce and nurse a large litter well and impart to the litter efficiency in the use of feed is essential in the inheritance of the breeding stock selected. Equally important are proper feeding and management of the brood sow and her litter.

It is a good plan to separate the gilts from the fattening hogs at 4 to 5 months of age and feed them a growing ration. Whole oats or a mixture of one-half oats and barley or wheat coarsely ground, self-fed, constitute a good foundation for a ration. Enough corn should be fed, probably a couple of ears daily, to each gilt to keep her gaining.

One-half gallon of skimmilk daily or ¹/₄ pound of protein concentrate will furnish sufficient protein for one gilt in addition to what she obtains from grain and pasture. (The protein concentrate may be hand-fed or mixed with the grain on the basis of 5 pounds to each 100 pounds of grain.)