192 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



is that a cheap feed Diust generally be selected to produce pork with rea- 

 Bonable profit. There are, of course, exceptions, but usually the profit ac- 

 cruing from rearing pigs for slaughter on mill-feeds alone at hundred- 

 weight prices is extremely small. It is the nitrogenous or protein element 

 in the feeds which is the most expensive factor, and feeds rich in protein 

 are consequently high in price. As the necessity for the nitrogenous 

 element in food has become better known and its place in the economy 

 of feeding better understood, the feeds rich in protein have been more and 

 more sought for the growing animal. Bulletin 237 sets forth the 

 value of skim-milk in pig rearing and calls attention to the neces- 

 sity of seeking substitutes for it in cheese factory, condensery and 

 city milk supplying districts. It was then in an attempt to discover 

 in how far the growing pig could profitably be compelled to rely upon 

 the bean factor in his food for his supply of protein that one of the 

 series of trials here reported was undertaken. 



Investigations were carried on with two different classes or weights 

 of hogs, representing two of the stages in pork production, the one — 

 the growing period — commencing a little after weaning at about 50 

 pounds weight and closing at about 150 pounds; the other — the fatten- 

 ing or finishing period— beginning at about 150 pounds and ending at 

 from 225 pounds to 250 pounds. 



In the computation of costs of gains the different foods used are 

 charged at the following prices, viz. : 



Cornmeal, |20.00 per ton. 



Middlings, |20.00 per ton. 

 . Cull beans, $12.00 per ton. 



Skim-milk, 20 cents per hundred pounds. 



It is not intended that these prices will correspond with the local 

 prices charged in the different sections of the state. In fact, such a 

 coincidence could not be expected. The prices are, however, intended 

 to represent about the average yearly prices which have prevailed in 

 the Michigan markets for the respective feeds during the past two or 

 three years. When the prices charged for experimental feeds are known 

 the reader can readily adapt the result to his locality by simply sub- 

 stituting his local prices for those assigned here. 



PART I. 



Beans for Growing Pigs. 



Six trials were made with cull beans and growing i)igs. Two different 

 combinations of feeds were tried and two check lots were fed for com- 

 parative purposes. The farmer frequently asks that feeding trials be 

 made with feed combinations, all factors of which are produced on 

 the farm; accordingly four trials were conducted using cornmeal with 

 beans; two using cornmeal, middlings and beans, and two using corn- 

 meal and skim-milk. In all of the eight trials the middlings is the 

 only food factor which is not immediately of the farm. 



Trials 1 and 2. These were conducted during the winter of 1905-06, 

 beginning December 5, 1905, and closing February 13, 1906. 



Rations. — In both cases the rations consisted of beans three parts and 

 cornmeal four parts by weight. The preparation of the mixture was 



