472 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



* . 5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 



Lot 14. — Peas, Oats and Barley, Skim-milk, and Mangels. 



Number of animals 



Agp at beginning of feeding period days. 



Total weight at beginning of feeding period lb. 



Nutritive ratio of ration , 



Duration of feeding period days. 



Amount of grain consumed lb. 



Amount of milk consumed n 



Amount of mangels consumed „ 



Amount of grain consumed for 100 pounds gain n 



Amount of milk consumed for 100 pounds gain n 



Amount of niangels consumed for 100 pounds gain >i 



Cost to produce 100 pounds gain $ 



Total live weight at end of feeding period ... ■, lb. 



Total gain in live weight during feeding period ' « 



Daily gain per pig during feeding period n 



Total weuih t of viscera n 



Weight of livers m 



Weight of hearts and lungs , h 



Weight of remainder of viscera n 



Lot 14. 



SUMMARY. 



This concludes the work finished this year, but at the time of writing there are 

 quite a number of pens still under test. The present condition of these would lead 

 one to think that more evidence is soon to be available. Further work is being done in 

 the feeding of rice-meal, with the object of finding out the cause of the trouble 

 described. There has always been a variation in quality of the different shipments 

 of rice-meal. Thus, though the ill effects of this product varied in intensity and in 

 time of appearance, yet they all eventually resulted in the same condition. 



In concluding this report, at the present stage of the work, one is forced to say 

 that rice-meal is not a profitable food for fattening young hogs. Whether used alone 

 or in mixtures, whether bought cheaply or otherwise, it is not as profitable as the grains 

 grown or other common foods that can be obtained in this section. For fattening hogs 

 it was not only unprofitable but caused aiasolute loss. When fed for one hundred days 

 or more, it produced a definite state of malnutrition. More than this, it caused an 

 actual disease, which could be intensified or checked at will by change of diet. It 

 would seem that the ill effects of rice-meal were due to its chemical rather than its 

 physical composition, since control rations of much rougher physical composition 

 were used, and these failed to produce any bad effects. 



In the trials made, rice-meal, when fed in mixtures, constituted half the grain. 

 It is of course possible that, when fed in smaller proportions, it would have no ill 

 effects. This, however, awaits proof. A pathological study of the disease produced 

 reveals the fact that the symptoms and lesions are constant, and resemble those of 

 beri-beri in human beings. 



Agassiz. 



