ANIMAL PEODUCTION. 377 



conducted at tlie North Platte substation and previously noted (E. S. R., 27, 

 p. 470). 



Two lots of 10 yearling or older brood sows each were wintered on corn and 

 alfalfa during four successive winters. One lot was fed shelled corn in a 

 trough or on clean ground and a good quality of alfalfa hay in a rack ; the other 

 lot was fed a ration of ground corn mixed with an equal weight of chopped 

 alfalfa and moistened with water. During the fourth winter corn was replaced 

 by wheat. The average daily gains per head were 0.76 and 0.79 lb., the amount 

 of grain consumed per pound of gain 6.8 and 5.3 lbs., the amount of alfalfa 

 consumecl per pound of gain 1 and 5.39 lbs., the cost of feed per pound of gain 

 6.5 and 7.54 cts., the cost of feed for wintering the sow $5.29 and $6.92. 



Spring gilts were summer pastured on alfalfa and wintered on a mixture of 

 alfalfa and grain 1 : 2 or 1 : 3 during five winters, receiving on the average 2.48 

 lbs. of feed per 100 lbs. live weight per day. They made an average daily gain 

 during the winter of 0.91 lb. per gilt, requiring on the average 4.77 lbs. of grain 

 and l.Sl lbs. of alfalfa per pound of gain, and costing 5.3 cts. That no trouble 

 occurred at the time of farrowing and that fairly large, healthy litters were 

 farrowed is deemed an indication that the ration has some merit. It is thought 

 that a smaller percentage of alfalfa probably would have given cheaper as well 

 as faster gains but would have kept the gilts too fleshy unless the amount fed 

 had been kept considerably below a full feed. 



Old and young sows fed during four winters on corn and alfalfa farrowed an 

 average of 11.1 and 8.2 pigs per sow, respectively, the pigs weighing 2.4 and 

 2.31 lbs. each at birth, and raised 6.55 and 6.2 pigs per sow. The pigs gained at 

 the rate of 0.53 and 0.5 lb. each daily and reached the 50-lb. weight when 89 and 

 99 days old. The average cost of all the feed used by the sows and their lit- 

 ters was $17.41 and $16.41. Crediting the sow with her gain in weight, the 

 average cost of the feed used in producing a 50-lb. pig from old sows is esti- 

 mated at $2.11 and that with young sows at $1.68. 



It was found that the cost of producing a spring pig to the weight of 50 lbs. 

 was $2.05 and that of the fall pig $2.03. A spring pig from a young sow cost 

 $1.81 as compared with $2.05 for a spring pig from an old sow. The young sows 

 raised nearly as many pigs and grew them to the 50-lb. weight nearly as quickly 

 as the old sows. 



In trials to determine the cost of growing pigs on alfalfa pasture and grain, 

 202 pigs were kept on alfalfa pasture and fed 2.75 lbs. corn per 100 lbs. live 

 weight per day. The pigs made an average daily gain of 0.72 lb. per pig, con- 

 suming 3.55 lbs. of corn per pound of gain, which, together with the alfalfa 

 consumed, cost 3.54 cts. per pound of gain. In a second experiment, six lots of 

 25 pigs each, fed on alfalfa pasture and corn, or corn and shorts (2.12 lbs. of 

 grain per 100 lbs. live weight per day), made an average daily gain of 0.51 lb. 

 per pig, consuming 3.13 lbs. of grain per pound of gain, which, together with 

 the alfalfa fed, cost 3.57 cts. per pound of gain. The lots fed corn alone when 

 grazing on alfalfa pasture made practically as rapid and as cheap gains as the 

 lots fed corn and shorts. 



Six lots of from 19 to 25 pigs each fed 83 days on alfalfa pasture and soaked 

 or dry shelled corn (2.39 lbs. per 100 lbs. live weight per day) made an average 

 daily gain of 0.66 lb. per pig, consuming 2.86 lbs. of grain per pound of gain, 

 which, together with the alfalfa consumed, cost 3.05 cts. per pound of gain. 

 The dry corn and soaked corn gave the same rate of gain with nearly the same 

 amount of corn consumption, indicating that it was not profitable to soak corn 

 for these pigs. 



