ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 373 



small ; nor was there any definite relationship between heart girths and rate of 

 gain, though the large majority of the best doers of the several groups were 

 large in heart girth. With but few exceptions the best gainers showed more 

 pliability and softness of skin." 



Hog feeding experiments, J. C. Burns (Texas 8ta. Bui. 131, pp. 7-33, 

 figs. IJf). — A series of 4 experiments in feeding hogs is reported. 



Blackstrap molasses was compared with corn for fattening hogs. In a 90- 

 day test with 24 large improved Yorkshires, 8 to 10 months of age, the average 

 daily gains per head and day for the different rations were as follows : On 

 corn chop and molasses 1 : 1, 0.9 lb. at a cost of 10.75 cts. per pound ; on corn 

 chop and molasses 3 : 1, 1.45 lbs. at a cost of 7.53 cts. ; and on corn chops alone" 

 1.66 lbs., at a cost of 7.36 cts. per pound. Another lot of 8 was turned on a 

 Spanish peanut patch for a time and later transferred to a dry lot and fed 

 skim milk and the same amount of corn chop as the previous lot, and on this 

 ration made in 63 days an average daily gain of 2.19 lbs. at a cost of 6.71 cts. 

 per pound. 



Grade Poland-Chinas were compared with scrub stock (razor backs) in a 

 feeding test lasting 144 days. The razor backs on a ration of corn chop, rice 

 bran, and tankage in the proportions of 4 : 4 : 1 made an average daily gain per 

 head of 0.98 lb., at a cost of 6.02 cts. per pound. The best animals of the grade 

 Poland-Chinas on the same ration made an average daily gain of 1.31 lbs., at 

 a cost of 5.94 cts. per pound. The superiority of the Poland-Chinas was evi- 

 dent, as to make 100 lbs. gain the razor backs ate 205.6 lbs. of corn chops, 205.6 

 lbs. of rice bran, and 44.2 lbs. of tankage, while the Poland-Chinas in making 

 the same gain ate 202.5 lbs. of corn chops, 202.5 lbs. of rice bran, and 43.8 lbs. 

 of tankage. The Poland-Chinas suffered a greater loss than the razor backs dur- 

 ing transportation to the Fort Worth stockyards. The average of the weights 

 taken at College Station and at Fort Worth would show that there was prac- 

 tically no difference between the 2 lots as to the cost of making 100 lbs. gain, 

 but the Poland-Chinas sold for 65 cts. per hundredweight more than the razor 

 backs. Excluding the cost of labor and expense of shipment the profit derived 

 from each hog in the razor back lot was only 15 cts., while that from the 

 Poland-China lot was $1.63. 



In a feeding test with 18 Poland-Chinas during a period of 91 days a lot fed a 

 ration of corn chop made an average daily gain per head of 0.21 lb., at a cost 

 of 14.49 cts. per pound. The corresponding gains for a lot on rice bran was 

 0.73 lb., at a cost of 3.84 cts. per pound, and for a third lot on Spanish peanuts 

 0.67 lb., at a cost of 13.46 cts. per pound. The rations were then changed for 

 the same lots of pigs during a period of 39 days. The first lot on corn chops, 

 rice bran, and tankage in the proportion of 4:4:1 made an average daily 

 gain per head of 1.06 lbs., at a cost of 3.15 cts. per pound. The corresponding 

 figures for the second lot fed corn chops and rice bran 1 : 1 were 1.24 lbs., at a 

 cost of 3.37 cts. per pound, and for the third lot fed corn chops and Spanish 

 peanuts 1: 1, 1.58 lbs., at a cost of 4.76 cts, per pound. 



" Rice bran was much cheaper than corn and yielded a larger gain. The 

 pork produced by it was of an inferior quality to that produced by corn. The 

 shrinkage from the dressed weight hot to the dressed weight chilled was much 

 greater and the percentage of dressed carcass much less. Rice bran should be 

 used more extensively in pork production when corn is so much higher in price, 

 and, for the best results, should be fed in connection with feed rich in pro- 

 tein. Spanish peanuts fed alone yielded a larger gain than corn fed alone. 

 The results indicated that an acre of peanuts of a yield of 40 bu. would produce 

 approximately $18.40 worth of pork at $6.25 per 100 lbs. With pork at $9 per 

 100 Iba. the same acre would produce $26.64 worth. Peanuts and corn cnin- 



