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142 REPORT OF THE First ASSISTANT OF THE 
In preliminary feeding of some of the pigs, it was found that they 
would not eat enough from the ensilage alone to make any gain ~ 
unless fed such a very large amount that it was simply rooted over 
for the pieces of corn on the cob, which were at all times first eaten. 
Where simply maintenance of mature animals has been desired 
ensilage has served very well. The boars for most of the time, and — 
the breeding sows much of the time during the winter and spring 
months, have been fed largely upon ensilage. 
It was not possible, during this trial, to separate and determine 
the amount not swallowed ; so, although the figures show the exact 
amount fed, they are not absolute as regards the amount eaten, but 
are, however, comparable. The “nutritive ratios” for the rations, 
including ensilage, are subject to the same error. As very little milk 
was available at this time, no skim milk or buttermilk was fed during 
the experiment. Water was not mixed with the food, but was kept 
always before the animals in a separate trough, and fresh water 
weighed to them as often as required, generally three times a day. 
All of the pigs were given nearly enough of bran and middlings for — 
sustenance, and some were fed as much ensilage in addition as they 
would eat or chew over, while others at the same time were fed, in 
contrast, corn on the cob. This corn in the ear gave from 82.5 to 83.2 
per cent shelled corn, containing an average of about 15 per cent 
moisture. It was at the beginning attempted to have the water-free 
matter of the ensilage the same in amount as the water-free matter of 
the corn in the contrasted ration, but it was not possible to continue 
this without giving very much less corn than would be readily eaten 
with the other food. 
The whole time of the experiment was divided into periods of five 
weeks each ; and it was so arranged that animals of the same age and 
not very different weights were on contrasted rations during the 
same periods. The general arrangement of feeding was as follows : 
