EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN. 201 



From the use of beans, both with and without the addition of the salt, 

 there seemed to be a greater difference than could be accounted for by 

 the reasons just given for its use. Foster, in the Text-Book of Physi- 

 ology, speaking of the whole class of salts, says: "Their presence is 

 in some way essential to the various metabolic processes; hence they 

 need to be always present in daily food. In what way it is that they 

 thus direct metabolism we do not know, but we are aware that the 

 properties and reactions of various proteid substances are closely de- 

 pendent on the presence of certain salts." In the use of the exclusive bean 

 ration which the reader knows has a very high protein content, such 

 marked differences were noticeable, with and without the use of the salt 

 that it seemed to those having the T\^ork in charge that the salt supplied 

 was a very material assistance in elaborating or metabolizing the large 

 supply of protein which the pigs were receiving. Be this as it may, 

 however, it is certainly an advisable practice to salt all beans which 

 are to be used for swine feeding. 



Getting on Feed. — It is a general rule in all feeding operations that 

 when any change is to be made in the ration of an animal it should be 

 done gradually. This is especially applicable in the use of a ration con- 

 taining any large quantity of beans. 



Temperature of Food. — In winter feeding it will be advisable to sup- 

 ply the feed while warm, but in the use of all warm feeds every pailful 

 used should be stirred until at an even temperature and then tested 

 with the finger. It is a cruel neglect to supply hot food to a hungry 

 pig. Sore mouths, dislike of food, and apparent loss of appetite are 

 sometimes traceable to no other cause. Such mistakes will sometimes 

 occur unless the feeder adopts the plan of stirring and testing every 

 pailful fed. 



Kettles and Barrels. — Pails used should be rinsed after each feeding 

 and especial care should be taken to clean the kettle or barrel after 

 each cooking and not allow sour or mouldly material to collect about 

 the food receptacle. More than one case of supposed hog cholera has 

 been traced to ignorant or careless neglect in allowing old swill to ac- 

 cumulate in a barrel instead of emptying the barrel each time before 

 the new material is dumped into it. 

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