164 



Jowrnal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 March, 1916. 



more starchy and drj'er grain concentrates, viz., maize, wheat, barley, 

 &,c., and pollard, which, though fattening m themselves, have a higher 

 proportion of starch to protein than is required, and only need a little 

 ■more of the latter to make them about all that a pig requires in the way 

 of food — that is, if adequate water is also provided. Skim milk is 

 admirably adapted to supply the little which grain lacks; and, because 

 the deficiency is little, it can be fully met by an amount of skim milk 

 not beyond the pig's capacity to absorb. If any more than 3 lbs. of 

 skim milk is fed to each pound of grain, the farmer may depend that 

 the pig's progress is being hampered for want of sufficient starch. This 

 ratio should never be exceeded, even in a young, growing pig, in which 

 the demand for protein and mineral is much greater than in an older 

 one. As the pig develops to full size, the proteid skim milk should be 

 still further reduced, even eventually down to the pound-to-pound ratio. 

 Provided normal prices prevail, the pig will repay with interest every 

 pound of pollard so vised. 



The Advantage Proved. 



So far, we have the theory, but it does not stop at that. We have 

 the experience of many of our most successful pig fatteners, as well as 

 the authority of leading experimentalists, to show that it is borne out 

 in practice. The experiments about to be quoted speak in pounds, but 

 most pig feeders are not exact enough in their practice of mixing foods 

 to be able to say what weight of each foodstuff their pigs receive. It 

 is safe, however, to accuse the majority of never adding as much as a 

 bucketful of pollard to a bucket of skim milk. Yet this is not enough 

 pollard — it is but 1 pound in 4. The pig's needs call for never less 

 than 1 pound in 3. 



The Superiority of the Higher Proportion of Grain. 



The mutually economizing effect of grainstuffs and skim milk, when 

 fed to the same animal in proper proportion, may be realized by a 

 study of the following figures — the results of various experiments by 

 Professor Henry. 



To fully appreciate them, it should be understood that, when pigs 

 received grain alone, about 500 lbs. is required to increase their 

 weights 100 lbs. ; and that about 3,000 lbs. of skim milk, if fed alone, 

 will accomplish the same increase. The following oft-quoted table (from 

 Henry's Feeds and Feeding) shows the respective quantities of skim 

 milk and corn (maize) meal required to increase the weight of pigs 

 100 lbs., according as the milk is supplemented in greater or less pro- 

 portion. 



