INTERNAL PARASITES OF SWINE

The Hog is generally considered to be a dirty animal. Experience shows, however, that given a chance to graze in a clean pasture and sleep in a dry, clean place, it will do so, thus growing faster and making a better profit for its owner. This bulletin is written in answer to inquiries, largely from swine owners who find evidence of infestation with parasites in hogs they slaughter on their farms. It is designed to tell them how to identify most of the common parasites and how to prevent such infestations. In some parts of the United States hogs are so seriously infested with internal parasites that meat packers make deductions from the prevailing market prices to offset losses due to the necessary elimination of damaged parts. Swine owners who take special precautions to prevent infestation of their young pigs should reap greater profits from their animals by being able to raise to market age more pigs from each litter. There is also a saving in feed; healthy animals mature and fatten on less than is needed by parasitized pigs. The following publications of the U. S. Department of Agriculture give further information on the internal parasites of swine: Leaflet 34, Trichinosis: A Disease Caused by Eating Raw Pork; Leaflet lOS, Controlling Kidney Worms in Swine in the Southern States; Leaflet llS, Controlling Lungworms of Swine. Other Department publications discuss the external parasites and bacterial diseases that affect swine