FOODS — ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 1017 



with the sows until they had learned to eat readily from the trough. 

 They were fed skim milk, to which wheat bran was added during the 

 first 4 weeks, a mixture of equal parts of bran and middlings during 

 the next 5 or 6 weeks, and the same with increasing amounts of corn 

 meal during the remainder of the trial. The nutritive ratio increased 

 from abont 1 :2,5 at the beginning to about 1 :5.8 at tlie close. 



In calculating the cost of food bran is rated at $18, middlings at 

 $20, and corn meal at $22 -per ton, and skim milk at 25 cts. per 100 lbs. 



"The average weight of the Berkshire pigs at hegiuning was 3.7 lbs., of the 

 Poland China 2.9 lbs., and of the Poland China-Duroc cross 3.7 lbs. The average 

 ■weight of the Herkshire-Cheshire cross was 2.1 lbs. At the close of the feeding trial, 

 which lasted a little less than 7 montlis, the Berkshires averaged 198.8 lbs. in weight, 

 the Poland Chinas 196.5 lbs., and the Poland China-Duroc cross 197.8 lbs. All the 

 pigs were entirelj' healthy thronghout the trial. The cost of all gain made for the 

 whole trial, was for the Berkshires 3.82 cts. per pound, for the Poland Chinas 3.76 

 fts., for the Poland China-Duroc cross 3.80 cts. — practically the same for all. The 

 Poland China pigs were ready to leave the sow about a week younger than the others. 

 The Berkshire sow lost most in weight while suckling the pigs and the PolandChiua 

 the least. The cost of food to restore the weight lost was for the Poland China sow 

 12.41 cts. per pound, for the Berkshire 5.88, and for the Duroc 4.96 cts. per pound. 

 Six pigs from each lot were killed and dressed at the end of the trial and the aver- 

 age loss in weight by dressing was for the Berkshire 22.9 per cent, for the Poland 

 China 21.8 per cent, and for the Poland China-Duroc cross 22.3 per cent. In the 

 feeding experiment made the year before with Poland China, Duroc, and Berkshire 

 pigs at a time when little skim milk was available and only grain was fed, the 

 Poland China made a much more profitable growth than the others."' 



The record is also given for a number of Poland Chinas, Berkshires, 

 Durocs, and Poland China-Duroc cross fed for 10 weeks, being kept 

 with the sows during the whole trial. 



" For the first 5 weeks the food was skim milk and wheat bran, and for the next 

 5 weeks skim milk and mixed grain, consisting of eqnal parts of wheat bran and 

 ground oats. . , . 



"At the end of 10 weeks the average weights were 37 lbs. for the Poland China, 

 38.8 lbs. for the Berkshire, 31.1 lbs. for the Duroc, 33.6 lbs. for the Poland China- 

 Duroc cross. . . . 



" For the first period the gross cost of the gain made was least for the Poland 

 China-Duroc cross, but considering the value of weight lost by the sow at the cost 

 of afterwards restoring it, the Berkshire pigs made the most profitable gain. For 

 the second period the gross cost of increase of weight was least for the Poland 

 China-Duroc cross, and considering the cost of weight lost by the sow, the cost of 

 the weight gained was least for the Durocs." 



Pig feeding, wet and dry feed, W. P. Wheeler {New York State 

 Sta. Bpt. 1893, pp. 219-223). 



Synopsis. — Two trials to compare the same grain food when fed dry and when 

 soaked. In the first trial both lots of pigs had the same quantity of food, but 

 in the second it was given ad libitum. In the first trial the gains were the same 

 on wet and dry feed, but in the second the lot on soaked grain ate a little more 

 and made a slightly greater and more economical gain. 



First trial (pp. 219-221). — Fourteen pigs, Poland Chinas, Berkshires, 

 and Durocs, averaging 138 lbs. each, were divided into 2 lots and fed 



>E. S. R., 6, p. 70. 



