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IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



I. PIG FEEDING. 



PROFITABLE PIG FEEDING. 



Col. G. W. Walters, Canton, Mo. 

 In Bulletin No. 12, Missouri State Board of Agriculture. 



The pig makes by far the greatest amount of gain for the food con- 

 sumed of all of our meat producing animals. Doctor Warrington in 

 "Chemistry of the Farm" states that for each one hundred pounds of 

 feed consumed the gains are: "Cattle nine pounds, sheep eleven pounds^ 

 pigs twenty-three pounds." or pigs make nearly two and a half times 

 as much gain from a given amount of feed as do cattle. But to state 

 the matter more concisely, analyses show upon the average that for 

 every one hundi'ed pounds of the digested nutrients consumed cattle 

 gain twelve and seven tenths pounds, sheep fourteen and three tenths 

 pounds, and pigs twenty-nine and two tenths pounds. It may be mg- 

 gested here that when; prices are anything like the same it is a vastly 

 more profitable use of feed to produce pork than beef. But of course 

 there is a place for cattle as there are many varieties of feeds suited 

 for cattle that pigs cannot use. 



It is worthy of thought,, however, to try to broaden the uses of our 

 feeds for pigs, for they will use profitably many of our feeds that we do 

 not think of, as we shall see as we proceed. By properly preparing 

 them there are many of our coarser feeds that may be fed to pigs, and 

 in this way not only secure an increased amount of grain but at the 

 same time the pigs will have a greater variety of feeds, thus securing 

 better health and thrift. Lest some of you should doubt the accuracy 

 of Dr. Warrington's statements as to the comparative gains made by 

 cattle and hogs from a given amount of feed. I call your attention to die 

 following tables: 



COST OF GAIN IN HOGS AND CATTLE COMPARED. 

 TABLE 1-FIGS-C03T OF GAIN-RATE OF GAIN-NUMEROUS STATIONS. 



