Go back to the Ming Dynasty to be a thousand households

Chapter 51 Veterinary Wang Qinian ([-])
Wuzhaibao Large Livestock Farm.

Liu Yumei, a military craftsman girl, accompanied Qian Shi, the steward of the Wuzhaibao Livestock Farm, to inspect the various parts of the large livestock farm. Along the way, those busy military women greeted Liu Yumei one after another, with enthusiastic smiles on their faces. The person looked strange again, talking about something in a low voice.

Ever since the gossip about Huang Laifu's interest in Liu Yumei spread through Qian's mouth that day, everyone in the farm looked differently at her. The enthusiasm, the hospitality, even Liu Erniu were remembered. He stepped forward to flatter her, Qian's family was already on good terms with Liu Yumei, and since then she only arranged for Liu Yumei to do some light work.

Originally, Liu Yumei was 15 years old this year. In ancient times, at this age, it was time to talk about marriage. In the past, some Wuzhaibao women would come to Liu Yumei's door to talk about marriage, but now no one dares.It was rumored that Liu Yumei was already the woman that the young master liked. Who dared to grab a woman from the young master in Wuzhai Fort?
Liu Yumei was not used to the crowd's flattery and gossip behind her back. She was just a simple military craftsman girl.

But slowly, everyone's flattery also gave her some thoughts.In particular, some households in Waibao want their family members to work in the various farms and large livestock farms in Wuzhaibao. I don’t know what they heard, but people began to come to the door with various gifts, begging Liu Yumei to have a chance to work in the old and young. With a few good words in front of her, even her grandfather, old man Liu, had more people walking around.

This feeling of being surrounded by people is easy to be intoxicated, Liu Yumei gradually began to enjoy this feeling, faintly regarded herself as Huang Laifu's woman, and accepted everyone's flattery quite at ease.It's just... I don't know what the young master is thinking, which makes her feel a little up and down. Of course, Qian understands what's on her mind. Find a way to find out what the young master is thinking.

The Qian family has always been on good terms with Liu Yumei's family, of course she is very happy to see Liu Yumei being taken in as a concubine by Huang Laifu, which is also very beneficial to the Qian family.

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Huang Laifu, Wang Qinian, Yang Steward, Jiang Dazhong, Yang Xiaolu and others came to the Wuzhaibao Livestock Farm. Upon hearing the news, Mrs. Qian brought Liu Yumei to welcome them.

After saying a few words casually, Huang Laifu saw that Liu Yumei beside Qian was blushing so much, he couldn't help giving her a strange look.Right in front of her, Liu Yumei was peeking at her, her eyes were a little shy and a little panicked.Huang Laifu smiled and nodded at her, Liu Yumei lowered her head hastily like a frightened deer, her face turned even redder.

Qian secretly looked at Huang Laifu with a low smile, then looked at Liu Yumei, and then respectfully said to Huang Laifu: "Young Master, please come inside." She glanced at Wang Qinian next to Huang Laifu in a strange way, not knowing that this poor and young man What is the relationship.

Under the leadership of Qian Shi, the steward, Huang Laifu inspected the large livestock farm, which indeed had the problems Wang Qinian mentioned.

Huang Laifu said to Wang Qinian: "Mr. Wang is not bad at all. In my opinion, how should this pigsty be improved?"

Wang Qinian said: "Improper drainage, excessive excrement in the pigsty and other cleaning problems are easy to talk about. Tell the livestock to clean up in time, and more lime will be enough. The position of the pigsty should be higher to reduce low-lying wetness." Then change the bedding frequently, and lay the ashes in the pigsty, so that the ground of the pigsty will not be damp and the cold air will be eliminated."

Huang Laifu nodded, but Qian's face next to him was a little pale. What "Mr. Wang" said in front of the young master just now seemed to be blaming himself for being ineffective in supervision and management, so that many people appeared in the pigsty. Cleaning issues.

She quickly snatched it out, knelt down in front of Huang Laifu and kowtowed: "Master, the cleanliness of the enclosure is all due to the woman's ineffective supervision, please punish me."

Liu Yumei also hurriedly followed Qian and knelt down.

Huang Laifu knew that Qian's was only considering the cleanliness issue according to the pig raising standards of Wuzhaibao military households in the past, and he didn't mean to be negligent on purpose.To be honest, Huang Laifu has never seen the cleanliness standards of pig farms in later generations, and the pig farms on TV flashed by, and he couldn't see clearly.But obviously according to Wang Qinian's standards, he will be stricter.

Immediately he said: "Forget it this time, pay more attention next time, we must pay attention to the cleanliness of the enclosure."

Qian kowtowed again and again: "Yes, yes, thank you, Young Master, for your forgiveness." Standing up, heaved a sigh of relief, turned his head and gave Wang Qinian a bitter look, but Wang Qinian turned his head to the side with an indifferent expression on his face look.

Liu Yumei followed Qian to stand up and stood aside, not daring to speak out.

Huang Laifu continued to inspect the large livestock farm while discussing issues with Wang Qinian. It could be seen that Wang Qinian had his own experience in breeding. He knew both veterinary medicine and breeding. Huang Laifu couldn't listen Nodding, secretly happy that he got a talent.

When it comes to cold protection, like the sheep house, the method to solve the cold winter problem in the pig house is exactly the same. In autumn, hang straw curtains on the door of the pen at night, and spread more bedding on the ground of the pig house.As for when the cold winter comes, an underground heating circle is built, and an underground fire path or a warming wall is added in the authentic pig house, so that the pigs can survive the winter safely.

Wang Qinian also suggested high-density breeding of pigs, with several more pigs in each pen, making full use of the heat generated by the pigs themselves to survive the winter, and making it easier for the pigs to gain weight. As long as they pay attention to hygiene, there will be no problems.

He said: "There is a saying in "Qi Min Yao Shu": the pen is not tired of being small, and if the pen is small, it will cause obesity. It also says: there are too many pigs, always set up a large pen, subdivide it into small pens, and each small pen can accommodate only one pig, so that If you don't make trouble, it will be easy to grow."

Regarding the pig feed for raising pigs, he affirmed Huang Laifu's practice of feeding pigs with feed made of rapeseed, turnip, and alfalfa in the future, and also affirmed Huang Laifu's method of feeding pigs with bean curd dregs in the future.

However, Wang Qinian also has his own views on feeding methods and feed for pigs: "The method of fattening pigs can be three catties of Guanzhong, four liang of Cangzhu, one bucket of soybeans, and one liter of sesame seeds. , Twelve days will make you fat. "San Nong Ji" also says: If you raise pigs, you will have less beards. Outside the working circle, there are bad spoons in each trough, and the rounds start again and again, making you very full. If the trough is left, add bran and disperse it on the trough, so that the food is extremely clean. Those who are good at feeding will get fat in sixty days."

Wang Qinian also proposed to feed pigs with a fermented feed. The experience he summed up was to chop the purslane and add rice swill and grains to ferment.The fermented feed can produce a sour taste and aroma, which can stimulate the appetite of pigs, help digestion, increase food intake, and make pigs eat more happily and fatten faster.

Huang Laifu nodded. This is a very scientific feed preparation method. This kind of method of fermenting feed with microorganisms, I remember it was recorded in "Wang Zhennong Shu", and it is still used in later generations. It is very important for modern pig production. , also has important guiding significance.

What Wang Qinian said can indeed be applied to the great pig raising business of Wuzhaibao Livestock Farm immediately.

Huang Laifu and Wang Qinian talked enthusiastically.Wang Qinian has been treated coldly these years, but as a scholar, he specializes in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine. Usually, he is greeted with deep-seated sarcasm and sneers.

Seeing Huang Laifu listening intently at this time, he felt a sense of knowing himself, thinking: "People say that Young Master Huang of Wuzhaibao is just a rough man, obviously that is not the case." He even poured out all he knew. .

As for the Wuzhaibao Livestock Farm, it can be said to be an ideal place in his mind.Don't say that the treatment here is good, even if there is no salary, as long as he takes care of the food, he is very willing to stay.

Other than Steward Yang, Qian Shi, Jiang Dazhong, Yang Xiaolu and others all rolled their eyes when they heard what Wang Qinian was talking about. , It's really helpless.

Liu Yumei couldn't understand Wang Qinian's words, her pretty eyes just turned from time to time on Huang Laifu's face, and then on Wang Qinian's.

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Everyone turned to a pigsty. Most of the sows raised here were fat and long, and most of them were bought from nearby counties.It is conceivable that the piglets born by these sows will all be alive and kicking, healthy and lively in the future.

In fact, Chinese pig breeds have always been good. They have always been famous for their early maturity, easy fattening, resistance to rough feeding, good meat quality and strong fecundity.Since the Han and Tang Dynasties, it has been widely praised by people all over Europe and Asia.Whether it is the Roman Empire in the past, or the United Kingdom, the West and other places in later generations, they have tried their best to introduce Chinese pigs to improve their local pig breeds.

The well-known British large white pig, also known as Yorkshire pig, is improved by crossing Chinese South China pig and British Yorkshire native pig. In 1818, this kind of pig was called "Great Chinese Breeding Pig" to show that it did not forget its roots.The Polish and Chinese pigs in the United States, as well as many famous pig breeds in the world today, have the blood of Chinese pigs.Darwin once said: "Chinese pigs are of high value in improving European breeds."

Mrs. Qian respected Huang Laifu, saying that after these sows were bought, some of them had already begun to give birth.Hearing Huang Laifu's face full of smiles, Mrs. Qian was a little hesitant to say that the sows will give birth on a large scale in October and November, and the weather will be cold at that time, and many of the piglets will freeze to death. .

Huang Laifu knew nothing about this, so he immediately asked Wang Qinian if he had any methods to improve the survival rate of piglets in the cold season.

Wang Qinian pondered for a while, and said that the piglets at that time had to adopt another method besides warm pens to protect them from the cold.

"There is a saying in "Qi Min Yao Shu" that those born in October and November should be steamed overnight. The method of steaming is to hold the dolphin in a cage, put it in a steamer, and steam it with low heat until it sweats. The dolphin is not steamed. If the brain is frozen, it will die within ten days. Therefore, the dolphin has a small brain, and the cold will not be able to warm itself, so heating is needed to help it."

Huang Laifu nodded. What Wang Qinian meant was that the cerebral cortex of newborn piglets is underdeveloped, and the function of regulating body temperature is not perfect. Exposure to cold can cause an irreversible drop in the temperature of newborn piglets.Especially for piglets born in winter, the body temperature drops sharply, and it takes a few days to return to normal.Moreover, piglets exposed to cold are slow to move, and the risk of being crushed to death by the sow is greater.At the same time, cold exposure is also an inducement for piglets to get sick and die.Therefore, it is very important to do a good job of keeping warm for newborn piglets.

The specific method of this heat preservation work is to steam the newborn piglets in a cable cage overnight with a low fire. Of course, the fire should not be too high, otherwise it will be cooked. The maintenance method for newborn piglets in "Qi Min Yao Shu" is really good, and it can greatly reduce the mortality rate of newborn piglets.It seems that the ancestors' accumulation in all aspects is very sufficient.

Although Qian couldn't understand Wang Qinian's words, seeing the young master smiling and nodding repeatedly, apart from giving Wang Qinian an unconvinced look, Qian couldn't help but think: "This poor man seems to have some skills." ..."

Finally, everyone came to the chicken and duck pen.

For the hatching of chicks and ducklings in the future, Wang Qinian has his own views.He suggested artificial hatching, so that the number of hatchings and the time are not limited, and the hatching rate can reach more than [-]%, which is much faster than hens and ducks hatching by themselves, and the hatching rate is much higher.

The artificial hatching method is a folk practice in the north and some areas in the south. The specific method is: in the north, eggs can be hatched in earth vats or kangs, and the temperature is raised by burning coal.In the south, wooden barrels or valley enclosures are generally used to incubate eggs, with sizzling millet as a heat source.The temperature of the fried rice is about 38 to 41 degrees Celsius, and it will gradually decrease to 34 degrees Celsius after eight hours, and then fry it again.A total of three times a day fried rice, so that the temperature in the barrel is often maintained at about 37 degrees Celsius.Ten days after the egg hatches, the developing blastodisc in the egg generates its own heat, after which it can be incorporated into a new egg.If the insulation in the wooden barrel is good, the heat emitted by the old egg itself is enough to supply the needs of the development of the embryonic disk of the new egg, and there is no need to fry the rice.This is where the ingenuity of the native hatching method lies. . "

The artificial hatching method is characterized by simple equipment, no temperature adjustment equipment, no thermometer, but it can maintain a relatively stable temperature, and the cost is very low, which is suitable for large-scale breeding in Wuzhaibao large livestock farms.

Huang Laifu was full of smiles when he heard it. To be honest, if Wang Qinian hadn't been focusing on this kind of folk experience and traveling around, he would not have known about this kind of knowledge.

To be honest, Huang Laifu had never heard of this artificial hatching method before.As for the military households in Wuzhaibao, the chicks and ducklings in their homes are usually hatched by the mother hen, and they have never thought of artificial hatching.Indeed, in ancient times, the spread of science and technology was slow, and it was difficult for some intellectual things to spread throughout the country.

Qian and the others also looked at Wang Qinian in amazement, thinking that the poverty is so poor that even the chicks can be hatched without a hen.

Finally, Wang Qinian also introduced the duck fattening techniques he knew.

Sixty or seventy days after the duck hatches, it can start to fill the fat, and give fattening feed twice a day.During the fattening period, the animals are no longer fed outside the house, and at the same time, cloth curtains are hung on the window panes of the fattening house to make the house semi-dark.The feed for finishing is sorghum flour, black bran and black soybean flour.Knead these feeds with hot soup into stick-shaped slivers, and the duck-filling technician uses his hands to open the duckbills and fill them one by one.For the first trial filling, fill about seven to nine per day.If you have indigestion, you should subtract one or two next time.If the digestion is good, it will be increased day by day, and finally fill about [-].

In this way, during the two to four weeks of the fattening period, the ducks can gain four to six catties in weight, and after finishing the fattening, they can gain nine to twelve catties in weight. The meat tastes particularly delicious and grows very fast.It is much better than eating fish and shrimp scattered by the river.

Huang Laifu had already made up his mind when he heard this, while Wang Qinian looked at the fish pond next to the duck pen with a somewhat intoxicated expression: "I heard that Jiangnan Linghu has a way of raising fish with mulberry fish. Could it be Emulate this?"

Huang Laifu smiled and said, "Exactly." He squinted at each other, seeing Wang Qinian staring at the fish pond, with a look of fanaticism on his face.

Just listen to Wang Qinian sighing: "Xiangwen Jiangnan Linghu mulberry-based fish pond, fish in the pond, mulberry planted in the pond ridge. The silt fertilizes the mulberry, and the silkworm chrysalis feeds the fish. This cycle goes on and on, and the fish and mulberry benefit. I was longing to hear about it, but unfortunately I didn’t get to see it.”

Huang Laifu said: "Brother Qinian's nickname is Donglu?"

Wang Qinian cupped his hands and said, "Don't dare, Xiaosheng's name is Donglu, please ask me."

Huang Laifu said: "Brother Donglu, from now on you will be Huang Laifu's animal husbandry staff, responsible for the breeding of livestock farms in Wuzhaibao and the treatment and epidemic prevention of animals. The annual salary is 24 taels plus an annual reward. I wonder if Brother Donglu is willing to give in?" It is impossible for Huang Laifu to let go of a talent who knows both farming and animal husbandry.

Wang Qinian was overjoyed, gave a deep salute, and thanked Huang Laifu.He didn't pay much attention to the treatment, but he was full of joy to be able to show his strengths here.

When Qian Shi and others saw that Wang Qinian was so valued by Huang Laifu, they were both envious and jealous.

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Later, Huang Laifu returned to Qianhu House under the watchful eyes of Liu Yumei.

As soon as he said he would do it, Huang Laifu recruited Huang Daliang, the manager of the Mazhipo Sheep Farm, and Qian Shi, the manager of the Wuzhaibao Livestock Farm, and asked the two to cooperate with Wang Qinian in the renovation of various livestock farms. Let Steward Yang dominate him.

Huang Laifu also hosted a banquet in honor of Wang Qinian, and asked Wang Qinian about some things.

This old man was afraid that he was depressed these days and was eager to find someone to talk to, so he told Huang Laifu all about himself.

It turned out that this old man was from the vicinity of Taiyuan. He liked to deal with pigs, sheep, and cows since he was a child, and he figured out some things for him.No matter where the livestock is sick, cubs, or other incomprehensible things, as long as there is a message, he will arrive immediately, and it will be cured.

Later, when I grew up, I traveled everywhere, and traveled all over the country, and traveled to many places.I usually read a lot of books on breeding and animal husbandry treatment, and I have a lot of experience in these aspects.

Wang Qinian is also considered a scholar. He has passed the examination of scholar, and his family still has great expectations for him.However, most of Wang Qinian's thoughts were on the way of animal husbandry, and it was useless for his family to beat and scold him for this.

Wang Qinian originally had a daughter-in-law whom he had been engaged to since he was a child, but the woman was busy with his dealings with animals all day long and had nothing to offer, so she divorced him and married another businessman.

It was an extremely heavy blow to Wang Qinian to marry a merchant rather than him.The family's scolding and others' ridicule made Wang Qinian unable to stay in his hometown, so he went out to travel and relax. When he was worried, he would use Chang Shun, the "Guangchan Marquis" of the Song Dynasty, as encouragement.

For some unknown reason, Wang Qinian traveled to Wuzhai Fort, and when he came here, first, he had almost exhausted all his money, and second, he was attracted by the livestock farms in Wuzhai Fort, so he applied for the job with the intention of trying.I didn't expect to get it in the first try.

After hearing what happened to Wang Qinian, Huang Laifu comforted him and said, "Where there is no grass in the world, why bother to fall in love with a single flower. That woman gave up on you because she has no vision. Don't worry, your future wife's affairs will be covered by you." On me, I will take care of finding a room for you to meet your wishes."

Wang Qinian stood up and gave Huang Laifu a deep salute, but he just smiled wryly.

(End of this chapter)