RETORT OF MR. R. ROBERTSON 



349 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SWINE. 



Feeding in pasture as compared with feeding in pens. 



This experiment, carried on in the summers of 1902-03, was repeated this year 

 with 20 pigs of one month old, in two lots of 10 each, of varioiis breeds and crosses, 

 each lot consisting of an equal number from each litter and termed lot I. and lot XL — 

 lot I. in pasture and lot XL in pons. 



Ijot X. were fed an average daily ration of 2 lbs. meal, largely shorts, and 5 lbs. 

 skim-milk, from July 1 to November 1, and pasture, which consisted of clover, rape, 

 hairy or sand vetch, and spring vetch and peas mixed sown on different parts of a 

 field of one acre in extent. 



Lot XL were fed the same daily ration in pens. 



A portable house was used for shelter. 



On November 1 the pigs were taken into pens, and fed a ration of 3 lbs. meal 

 until December 1. 



The results are as follows : — 



Experiments with Swine — Experiment I. 



LOT I. FED ON PASTURE, JULY 1 TO NOVEMBER 1 ; FED IN PENS, NOVEMBER 1 TO DECEMBER 1. 



Period. 



July 1 to November 1 



November 1 to December 1 



Total gain, 10 pigs, 153 days . 



Weight at 

 Start. 



Lbs. 



170 

 1,129 



Weight at 

 Finish. 



Lbs. 



1,129 

 1,609 



Gain. 



Lbs. 



059 

 480 



1,439 



Average daily gain on pasture, July 1 to November 1. . 



Average daily g^ain in pens, Nov. 1 to Dec. 1 



Cost per iwund gain, entire period cts. 



Lbs. 

 •78 

 1*60 

 3'55 



LOT 11. FED IN PENS, JULY 1 TO DECEMBER 1, 1904. 



Period. 



July 1 to March 1 



November 1 to December 1 



Total gain, 10 pigs, 153 days. 



Weight at 

 Start. 



Lbs. 



185 

 1,169 



Weight at 

 Finish. 



Lbs. 



1,169 

 1,472 



Gain. 



Lbs. 



9S4 

 303 



1,287 



Average daily gain in pens, J\ily 1 to November 1. . . . 



Average daily gain in pens, Nov. 1 to Dec 1 



Cost per pound guin, entise period cts. 



Lbs. 

 "80 

 1^01 

 3*94 



