572 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.43 



avorasing 7.5 pigs, while litters from older sows averaged 8.G pigs. The pigs 

 farrowed hy young sows averaged 2.44 lbs. in weight, and those from older 

 sows 2.61 lbs. Where successive litters were secured from the same sow there 

 was, in general, an increase in the number of pigs per litt(>r and in the weight 

 of individual pigs up to the fourth litter. Older sows farrowed a liigher pro- 

 portion of dead or innnature pigs than the younger sows. 



Among 5,657 pigs whose sex was recorded, 51.9 per cent were males. Of 

 pigs born dead, about 56 per cent were males. In 261 litters where the order 

 of birth was (*«erved, males formed 59.4 per cent of the pigs farrowed first 

 and 51 per cent of those farrowed last. 



Variation of individual pigs in economy of s^in, R. C. Asiiby and A. W. 

 Malcoaison (Jour. Agr. Research [C/. -S'.], W {1D20), No. 5, pp. 225-23-',).— Thi^ 

 paper gives the complete details of an investigation at the Minnesota Experi- 

 ment Station, previously noted from preliminary reports (E. S. R., 41, p. 772). 

 When the pigs in each group were arranged in order of daily gain, and in order 

 of economy of gain, it was found that more than 60 per cent of the fastest 

 growing pigs were also distinctly economical producers, but when all the 63 pigs 

 were considered the coefficient of correlation between rate and economy of gain 

 (each measured as percentage of group mean) w^as distinctly negative 

 (— 0.452±0.068). 



Dry lot V. pasture crop for growing pigs with a self-feeder, H. H. 

 Havner and P. Gerlaugh {Pennsylvania Sta. Rpt. 1916, pp. 109-111, pis. Jf, 

 fig. 1). — A comparison between dry lot and pasture for feeding 40-lb. pigs is 

 reported, differing from the two similar comparisons previously noted (E. S. R., 

 38, p. 69) in that the animals had free choice of tlie feeds offered (corn meal 

 and tankage). The pasture was oats and peas for 5 weeks, and then rape for 

 14 weeks. 



Considering the entire 19 weeks, tlie IS pigs not on pasture made an average 

 daily gain of 0.77 lb. per head while the 20 in the pasture group gained 1.04 lbs. 

 per head daily. The costs of the feeds are recorded but not the amounts con- 

 sumed. Gains were produced more cheaply by the pasture group. During the 

 first 5 weeks corn and tankage were selected by the dry lot in the proportion 

 6.9 : 1 and by the pasture group in the proportion 16.1 : 1. The total consumption 

 for the 19 weeks showed the proportions to be 9ri : 1 and 21. G : 1, respectively. 



Maintaining brood sows, H. H. Havner and M. F. Giumes {Pennsylvania 

 Sta. Rpt. 1916, pp. 89-106). — A summary of an experiment conducted in the 

 winter of 1914-15 and the complete data (individual weights, feeding records, 

 costs, etc.) of a duplicate experiment the following year are presented. 



Four lots of 5 sows were used each year, several breeds being represented in 

 each lot. The following feeds were offered the respective lots before farrowing 

 (1) Alfalfa hay, plus a little corn at the beginning; (2) alfalfa hay with corn 

 throughout; (3) corn and tankage, 10:1; and (4) corn meal, gi'ound oats, and 

 wheat middlings 1:1:1. After farrowing all received the same feed mixture, 

 viz, corn meal, middlings, bran, and tankage, 4:3:1:1, the bran being omitted 

 after 3 weeks. 



In each year the lot fed mainly on alfalfa lost in weight and were in poor 

 condition at farrowing, while the other lots all gained. During the nursing 

 period the alfalfa-fed sows consumed m«re feed than the other lots, and there- 

 fore the cost of carrying these sows from the beginning of pregnancy to the end 

 of the weaning period was not lower than the costs in the case of lots 2 and 3. 

 The mixture fed lot 4 prior to parturition is deemed too expensive, since better 

 and more economical results were secured with lots 2 and 3. 



In 1914-15 lot 1 averaged 4.5 pigs per litter, lot 2 produced 6, and lots 3 and 

 4, 7.3 each. The corresponding figures for 1915-16 were 7.4, 7.8, 10.2, and 4.5. 



