624 JOUKIsAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



From the above table it will be seen that the feed consumption 

 and gain per capita made by the sheep and the pig- are less than that 

 made by the steer (oxen), due to their smaller size. When, however, 

 we consider the feed consumption and gain on the comparative basis 

 of a 1000 lb. live weight, it will be seen that while pigs consume about 

 2^ times as much feed as steers, their gain in live weight is nearly 

 six times that of steers, wliich more than balances the greater con- 

 sumption of feed. The feed of pigs is in a more concentrated and 

 dig-estible form, and for this reason they utilize less in digestion and 

 assimilation and thus have a large amount of feed over and above 

 the bodily needs for the production of gain than either steers or 

 sheep. In considering- the amount of feed suitable for man returned 

 by our different kinds of animals on the basis of 100 lb. of digestible 

 matter consumed by eacli, we find, accoiding to Joi-daii. the follow- 

 ing : — 



Human Food PRODrcED by Farm Animals FRo^r 100 lh. of 



DlGKSTTBLE MaTTER CONSUMED. 



. . I Marketable Edible 



Animal. t> i . w ij 



ProfhictP. Solids. 



ft. ft. 



Cow (milk) 139 18 



Pig (dressed) 25 15.6 



Cow (cheese) 14.8 9.4 



Calf (dressed) 30.5 8.1 



Cow (butter) 6.4 5.4 



Poultry (eggs) 19.6 5.1 ^ 



Poultry (dressed) ... ... 15.6 4.2 



Lamb (dressed) 9.6 3.2 



Steer (dressed) 8.3 2.8 



iSheep (dressed) 7.0 2.6 



According to this table the dairy cow ranks far above all our 

 domestic farm animals in her power to convert the ordivnn/ feeding 

 stulfs available on the farm into human food. The pig is a close 

 second and sheep are indisputably last. However, pig- fai'ming can 

 more often than not be reg^arded as a side line of the main farming 

 business, that is, the pig is the medium of marketing the by-products 

 of the farm and is easily the best of all animals for this purpose. 

 Where cattle are being fattened we find the ]3ig utilizing the 

 undigested feed in the droppings which would otlierwise have been 

 mere waste. On a dairy farm the best value for the farmer's separated 

 milk, butter-milk, or wliey may be obtained by letting the pig convert 

 it into a saleable product. Then, again, where mixed farming is 

 practised, and it is typical of many districts in South Africa, the pig- 

 will not only economically utilize all the available dairy by-products, 

 but also all the unmarketable products, such as undersized potatoes, 

 spoiled grain (when cooked), waste fruit, and kitchen refuse. Particu- 

 larly in the Western Province the pig is most useful for gleaning the 

 stubble fields and converting this otherwise wasted grain into ready 

 cash. It is in these respects that the pig shows up to the best 

 advantage and has no rival as a profit producer. In addition, pig 



