ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 373 



Length of gestation period in Yorkshire sows, Ji. Dassogno {Indus. Latt. e 

 Zootec, 13 (1915), No. 12, pp. 180-182).— An examiuation of 176 cases in York- 

 shire sows showed a gestation period usually varying between 111 and 116 days, 

 with the average 114 days. The longest period was 128 days, the shortest 106 

 days. The predominance of one sex in the offspring did not noticeably alter 

 the length of the gestation period, nor did the size of the litter nor the shape 

 and weight of the young pigs exert any influence upon it. The length of 

 period did, however, vary with the age, vigor, and general condition of the 

 sow, and more especially with the functioning of the ovaries. 



Experiments in swine feeding, J. Withycomre, E. L. Potter, and G. R. 

 Samson [Oregon Sta. Bui. 127 (1915), pp. SO).— This bulletin summarizes the 

 results of hog-feeding experiments conducted at the station since 1904, as 

 previously noted (E. S. R., 16, p. 84). 



In an experiment comparing chopped wheat and chopped barley two lots 

 of 5 pigs each were fed for 75 days; the lot receiving the wheat made an 

 average daily gain of 1.37 lbs. per head, and the lot fed the barley 1.35 lbs. 

 The lots required 4.78 and 5 lbs. of feed, respectively, per pound of gain. It 

 was found that white the barley proved superior to wheat during the first part 

 of the test it did not do so well during the latter part. During the first part 

 of the test the hogs ate more barley than wheat. 



In an experiment comparing ground wheat, ground barley, and ground vetch 

 seed 3 lots of 4 pigs each, fed for 61 days, made average daily gains per head 

 of 1.3, 1.15, and 0.32 lbs., requiring 4.72, 5.34, and 9.63 lbs. of feed per pound 

 of gain, respectively. In this test vetch seed proved very unpalatable and en- 

 tirely unsuited for hog feeding. 



In an experiment comparing skim milk and chopped wheat versus chopped 

 wheat alone, 3 lots of 6 pigs each fed for 61 days, lots 1 and 2 receiving 

 chopped wheat and lot 3 chopped wheat and skim milk, made average daily 

 gains per head of 1.79, 1.61, and 2..58 lbs., respectively. Lot 1 required 4.24 lbs. 

 of feed per pound of gain, lot 2, 4.4 lbs., and lot 3, 2.6 lbs. of feed and 5.59 lbs. 

 of milk. In this test lot 1, which was fed on a plank floor, consumed 3.6 per 

 cent less feed per 100 lbs. of gain than lot 2 which was on a dirt floor. 



In an experiment comparing dry chopped barley, dry chopped wheat, and wet 

 chopped wheat, 3 lots of 6 pigs each were fed for 77 days, with average dally 

 gains per head of 1.015, 1.1, and 0.95 lbs., requiring 5.24, 4.69, and 4.55 lbs. of 

 feed per pound of gain, respectively. In this test the advantage of wet wheat 

 over dry was negligible. 



Four lots of 7 pigs each were fed for 60 days, lot 1 receiving chopped barley, 

 lot 2 chopped barley and skim milk, lot 3 chopped wheat, and lot 4 chopped 

 wheat and skim milk. In this test the advantage of barley over wheat when 

 fed alone was 12 per cent, and the advantage of wheat over barley when fed 

 with skim milk, 13 per cent. To save 100 lbs. of barley it required 236 lbs. of 

 skim milk, and to save 100 lbs. of wheat, 113 lbs. of skim milk. The cost 

 per pound of gain was 5.44, 4.83, 6.11, and 4.28 cts. for the respective lots. 



Four lots of 7 pigs each fed for 43 days, lot 1 receiving chopped barley, lot 

 2 chopped barley and skim milk, lot 3 chopped wheat, and lot 4 chopped wheat 

 and skim milk, made average daily gains per head of 1.47, 1.86, 1.4, and 1.96 

 lbs., for the respective lots. Lot 1 required 4.01 lbs. of grain per pound of 

 gain, lot 2, 2.97 lbs. of grain and 2.13 lbs. of skim milk, lot 3, 4.22 lbs. of grain, 

 and lot 4, 2.82 lbs. of grain and 2.02 lbs. of skim milk. The advantage of barley 

 over wheat when fed alone was 6 per cent. When fed with skim milk the 

 advantage of wheat over barley was 5 per cent. The cost per pound of gain 

 was 5, 4.24, 5.28, and 4.03 cts. for the respective lots. 



