A swinging pig gets fatter faster, swing-bed rearing experiment proves a success; "Swinging" - this is the verdict after the initial stages of an experiment to produce bigger and better piglets. The experiment is being conducted at Willowdene Farm, Ivinghoe, Bucks, under the supervision of farm manager and pig expert, Mr. Joseph Green. The lucky pig chosen to be the guinea pig is a pedigree Wessex sow. She's just farrowed down in the soothing, lullabying comfort of a Swinging bed. The idea was thought up by biologist Mr. Joseph Yahuda, whose theory is that swinging provides the perfect answer to the exercise problems of a pregnant pig, that the gentle swinging motion stimulates the cells of the body without the effort of limb movement. And it seems to work. For our guinea pig gave birth wearing an expression of blissful content to thirteen piglets. At birth their total weight was 23 lbs 6 oz which is very low. After the third day, they weighted 44 lbs. In the same period a non swinging (or dodgy) litter would have gained only 71 lbs. Swinging stimulates the appetite whereas a stationary pig feeds about 4 times an hour, a pig in a swing fancies a meal 6-7 times and hour, and doubles its consumption of water. The swing itself, if mass produced, will cost between ~200-250 and will last about 20 years. It oscillates 28 times a minute, on a 39 inch pendulum and uses the same amount of electricity as a 60 watt lamp.
The working the mechanism that works the swing, with Mr. Joseph Yahuda, the man who provided the idea, and Mr. Joseph Green, the man who provided the pig (right.
Photo measures 10 x 8.25 inches.
Photo is dated --0000.
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