274 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



tive? As between some methods of feeding and management and other 



methods there is a difference of ten, twenty or even fifty per cent in the 



yield. If by judicious feeding we could increase the efficiency of our 



feeds by ten per cent, it would mean a vastly increased output from a 



given crop. Secretary Ellis, from reliable sources estimates the yield 



of our corn, hay, fodders and all feed crops in the State in 1902 at the 



vast sum of $200,000,000. Two-thirds of this ought to go into live stock. 



A ten per cent increase in the efficiency of this feed would mean $13,000,- 

 000 more to the farmers. 



It is our purpose to discuss some of the conditions under which our 

 feeds may be more efficiently used in the production of pork. 



GIVE A VARIETY OF FEEDS. 



Pigs do better on a variety of feeds than on any single feed. This 

 is a principle of universal application in all classes of stock feeding. This 

 proposition is well understood by the farmers, but still it is ignored so 

 completely that we think it well to give it some emphasis. Just how 

 much better the pig will do if fed a variety, we will let the pig himself 

 testify, for whatever other mean thing a pig may do, he will not tell a lie 

 The following are some of the results. Many other tests have been 

 made, all pointing to results much the same. 



Table III. Single Food vs. Variety — Wisconsin Station — Five Lots, 4 



in Each Lot. 



Lot. 



Kind of feed. 



Amount required 

 for 100 lbs. gain. 



I I Corn alone, required for 100 11)S. gain I 537 lbs. 



II Middlings alone, required for 100 lbs. gain I 522 lbs. 



III I % corn and % middlings I 439 lbs. 



IV % corn and % oats I 429 lbs. 



V I Corn plus clover hay I 422 lbs. 



It will be observed that by combining shorts and corn half and half 

 there was a saving of nearly loo lbs. of the mixture in producing loo 

 lbs. of gain. By the use of one-half oats and one-half corn more than 

 lOO pounds was saved. By the use of a little clover hay, over two 

 bushels of corn was saved in producing lOO pounds of gain. At that 

 rate clover* hay would take the place of five bushels of corn in bringing 

 a hog up to 250 lbs., marketable size. How is the clover hay fed? 

 Better probably to chaff it in cutting box, dampen it or steam it, but it 

 may be fed dry in racks. The Montana Experiment Station found that 



