384 EXl'EUl MESIAL FARMS 



2 GEORGE V., A. 1912 



The results require little further comment. It is quite evident that straw cannot 

 profitably be used as a substitute for hay as a complete roughage when a heavy grain 

 ration is fed. With a lighter grain ration the effect would probably not be so marked; 

 certainly the steers would not have scoured so much and the actual loss in grain fed 

 would have been reduced. Had some of the straw been cut and mixed with the grain, 

 the cattle would have been compelled to eat some of it, and this would probably have pre- 

 vented the scouring. When hay is being fed throughout the whole feeding period it 

 lias been found advantageous by some feeders to use the best hay when the grain 

 ration is light and the hay of poorer quality with the heavy grain ration. Where it 

 is a case of feeding hay part of the time and straw during the rest of the period the 

 straw should be fed first before a taste has been acquired for the hay. 



SWINE. 



The herd of swine on hand at present consists of the following animals — 



Yorkshires. — 2 boars and 3 sows. 

 Berkshires. — 2 sows. 

 Grades. — 13 feeders. 



These are kept for experimental feeding purposes and for breeding. During the 

 past year 52 pigs have been sold. 



EXPERIMENT IN FATTENING HOGS. 



To determine the feeding value of digester tankage, a lot of 28 young pigs was 

 divided into five lots and fed different rations. 



The pigs were all in thrifty condition when the experiment started, and continued 

 so throughout the course of the feeding period. Satisfactory gains were made by all 

 the lots. The experiment was in progress during February, March and part of April. 



In thrift and general appearance there was no noticeable difference in the lots 

 under the test. This is possibly accounted for through all the pigs being fed liberally 

 on roots at noon every day throughout the period. 



The digester tankage was supplied by the J. Y. Griffin Co., Ltd., Winnipeg, now 

 The Swift Canadian Co., Ltd. 



The following prices were charged for feed : — 



Grain. — $1 per hundred lbs. 



Roots. — 5c. per bushel of 60 lbs. 



Digester tankage — $1.50 per hundred pounds. 



Full particulars of the experiment follow. 



LOT 1. CHOPPED BARLEY. 



X umber of pigs in lot 5 



Gross weight at start 1! is 440 



Average weight at start " 88 



( Sross weight at end of 86 day period " 852 



Average " " 86 " " 170-4 



Gross gain in 86 days " 412 



Average gain in 86 days " 82-4 



Average gain per pig in one day " -0 



Total amount of meal consumed " 1,300 



" roots consumed " 175 



