Sanitation in hog production requires the adoption of methods that prevent disease and conserve health. It is really a part of herd maintenance and must be combined with the necessary veterinary service to ensure the health and thriftiness of the herd.
Hogs are frequently forced to live in small, crowded, filthy quarters which are contaminated with disease-producing organisms. It is much more economical to prevent disease by sanitation, rotation of ground, and use of portable equipment than to attempt to maintain health under such conditions.
The buildings and exercise lots should be located on a clean, dry slope if possible rather than on poorly-drained ground. Old straw sheds may be infested with lice and disease germs. Lots surrounding the buildings should be ploughed often and the manure, corn-cobs and litter burned or removed.
Muddy hog wallows are unnecessary and should not be maintained except as an emergency in extremely hot weather. They are a source of infection. A cement wallow, fitted with a drain to allow cleaning may be practical. Hogs can withstand considerable heat if they have a wallow and it will reduce the amount of shade that is otherwise needed.
Sunlight and drying kill many disease germs. The doors and windows should be sufficient in number and located so that the sun will shine directly over as much of the floor as possible at some time during the day. The use of pastures is another means of getting pigs to drop their worm eggs where the sun and heat will kill many of them.