Farm Dog Willingly Nurses Little Pigs

Farm Dog Willingly Nurses Little Pigs HOG EQUIPMENT & IDEAS Hog Equipment & Ideas (351) 8-4-20 The Bob Bleser farm family, of Elkhorn, Wis., has an unusual crossbred collie that's attracting a lot of attention as it nurses little pigs. "Our dog æCocomo' gave birth one chilly night to eight pups. She had the pups outside, as she's an outdoor dog. Two of her pups died and six of the litter survived," explains Bleser. When he came out in the morning to do the hog chores, he found Cocomo and her newborn pups by the closed farrowing barn door. She had carried them there, awaiting entry to the inside warmth of the farrowing barn. Bleser immediately moved Cocomo and her babies inside the farrowing barn, putting them in with three sows and their 32 little pigs. The pups and porkers hit it off right from the start. Walk into the barn and you'll probably find the sows nursing pups, and Cocomo nursing little pigs. "She doesn't mind at all and willing shares her milk with them," notes Bleser. "It's a scene where animals live in true harmony. The sows don't fuss a bit as the pups scurry in and out of the farrowing crates with the little pigs." Many visitors have stopped at the Bleser farm to see the unusual sight of a dog nursing pigs, and sows nursing pups. "Visitors tell us they've never seen or heard of anything like this. They just stare in amazement and shake their heads," notes Bleser.

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