37 



The feed cousumed per 100 pounds gain was as follows: Hopper pigs. — 

 Corn, 256 pounds; middlings, 68 pounds; milk, 339 pounds. Grinder pigs.— 

 Corn, 224 pounds; middlings, 76 pounds; milk, 385 pounds. 



In the second test the hopper-fed pigs made an average daily gain per pig of 

 2.11 pounds, and the grinder-fed pigs, 1.86 pounds. 



The feed consumed per 100 pounds gain in the second test was: Hopper 

 pigs.— Corn, 287 pounds; middlings, 71 pounds. Grinder pigs.— Corn, 273 pounds; 

 middlings, 80 pounds. 



The author of the bulletin states : "' The hog motor grinder and feeder gave 

 good results in two tests. However, when used in comparison with hopper feeding 

 of both shelled corn and cornmeal, the margin of profit was in favor of the hopper- 

 fed pigs." 



Hopper Feeding vs. Trough Feeding.— The bulletin referred to above 

 also reports two tests in which the self-feed hopper was compared with trough 

 feeding. In the first test 10 five-months-old pigs were used, and in the second test 

 10 pigs about three and one-half months old were used. 



In the first test all the pigs were fed a mixture of ground corn, wheat middlings, 

 and bran; and in the second test, hominy chop and middlings. In each test dry 

 meal was fed in the hoppers, and wet meal in the troughs. 



The results of the two tests were as follows: — 



First Test : Hopper fed. — Average daily gain per pig, .71 pound. Meal con- 

 siimed per 100 pounds gain, 520 pounds. Trough fed.— Average daily gain per 

 pig, 1.36 pounds. Meal consumed per 100 pounds gain, 348 pounds. 



Second Test: Hopper fed. — ^Average daily gain per pig, 1.26 pounds. Meal 

 consumed per 100 pounds gain, 387 pounds. Trough fed. — Average daily gain 

 per pig, 1.36 pounds. Meal consumed per 100 pounds gain, 348 pounds. 



It will be seen that in both tests the trough-fed pigs made more rapid and 

 cheaper gains than those fed from hoppers, though there is less labor when hoppers 

 are used. 



PART IV. 

 SELECTION, FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT. 



The Boar. 



Selection. — In these days, when pure-bred males are plentiful and reason- 

 able in price, there is practically no excuse for using anything but a pure-bred 

 boar, even though the sows be merely grades. The pure-bred male will transmit 

 his own qualities to his progeny with greater certainty than a grade or cross-bred, 

 and will get pigs of more uniform quality and excellence, so that it pays to use 

 a pure^bred boar even for producing market hogs. It is true that many pure-bred 

 boars should not be used for breeding, but this affords no reason for using a grade 

 boar. The " scrub " pure-bred should be rejected along with the grade and cross- 

 bred, and there are reasonably good pure-bred boars always available to the man 

 who will make an effort to get one. 



When selecting a boar to head a pure-bred herd, it will not do to be too 

 economical regarding price. This does not mean that we are to pay fancy prices, 

 running into the thousands, such as we sometimes read about: but it is well to 



