nniswN OF AxniAL husbaxdry 443 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



SWINE. 



CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM, OTTAWA, ONT. 



REPORT OF THE DOMINION ANIMAL HUSBANDMAN, 



E. S. ARCHIBALD, B.A.. B.S.A. 



- There are 217 head of swine of all breeds and ages now on the Central Experi- 

 mental Farm. These are used for experimental breeding, feeding, and housing, as well 

 as for sales of high-class breeders at a reasonable figure. The breeds kept are "Berk- 

 shire, Tamworth, and Yorkshire. 



The Berkshires are 37 in number, including 18 breeding sows, 17 young pigs and 

 2 boars. 



The Tamworths are 31 in number, including 10 breeding sows, 19 young pigs and 

 2 boars. 



The Yorkshires are llt> in number, including 31 breeding sows, 110 young pigs and 

 5 boars. 



The main piggery, erected in 1910, continues to give excellent satisfaction in all 

 respects, both for experimental feeding work and also in its uses for farrowing season, 

 feed rooms, and the like. The housing of brood sows, during both winter and summer, 

 in the single-board cabins has also continued to give good results. 



The increasing sales and demand from individual farmers and agricultural 

 societies for young breeding pigs may again be reported, and is a healthy indication of 

 the added interest of the farmers, both in the Experimental Farms and in the swine 

 industry. 



The experimental feeding work, together with general supervision of the breeding 

 operations, was conducted by Mr. D. D. Gray, to whom special credit is due for the 

 returns, which are quite satisfactory considering the crowded condition of the build- 

 ings. 



PIG FEEDING EXPEFJMEXT. 



In October, 1913, a pig feeding experiment was started to determine the value of 

 various grains fed in different ways, with and without supplements; this being, in 

 part, a continuation of the work carried on in the fiscal year ending March 31' 1913. 

 The object of this experiment was: (1 ) to determine the value of the hog motor grinder; 

 (2) the value of dry feeding versus slop feeding; (3) tlie value of home-grown grains 

 alone versus supplements; (1) the value of milk as a sui)plement to grain; and (5) the 

 value of roots as a suppU-ment to grain. The home-grown grains chosen were barley, 

 oats, and wheat, mixed in varying proportions. Six lots of pigs were started on this 

 experiment. However, owing to the fact that the pigs on the hog motor grinder did 

 not seem to have as fair a chance as the others, and owing to the fire which destroyed 

 the cattle barns, this experiment was discontinued, but will be taken up again on a 

 more complete scale during the coming fiscal year. 



