FATTENING HOGS. 285 



fed on some feed stuff which is not only adapted to the pro- 

 duction of fat, but conducive to growth as well. In this 

 respect a ration of corn and tankage, fed in the proportion 

 of four or five parts corn meal to one part tankage; or a 

 ration of corn meal and gluten feed, equal parts by weight, 

 or a ration of corn and shorts, equal parts by weight; or a 

 ration of one part corn, one part barley and one part shorts 

 by weight, or a ration of two parts corn and one part of 

 either wheat or shorts by weight, when fed in conjunction 

 with skim-milk, will give excellent results. These feeds are 

 especially adapted to fall or winter feeding. During the 

 summer months the most economical gains can usually be 

 secured by fattening hogs on some kind of pasture or forage 

 supplied in some other way. For instance, corn when fed to 

 hogs which have a run of good clover pasture, alfalfa pas- 

 ture, blue grass pasture, soy beans, rape, cow pea pasture, 

 and a mixture of peas, oats and barley which had been sown 

 early in the season, will give very good results. The forage 

 crops mentioned are all rich in protein and seem to have a 

 favorable influence on the health of the animals. 



No one feed stuff is best under all conditions. Each and 

 every man must be governed largely in this respect by the 

 feed stuffs available, and those which are most economical. 



Preparation of Feed Stuffs. 



In the preparation of feed stuffs no definite rule can be 

 recommended which will answer all conditions. Different 

 kinds of feed stuffs and different ages of the animals will 

 have an influence in this respect. During the fall and winter 

 months, especially if the weather is somewhat cold, steam- 

 ing or cooking feed may be an advantage in that it supplies 

 the same in a warm condition. It may also increase the 

 palatability of the same. During the spring and summer 

 months there is no advantage derived from steaming or cook- 

 ing except from a palatability standpoint. In some instances 

 feed stuffs which are inclined to be musty may be made very 

 much more palatable by steaming them. Soaking has much 

 the same influence that steaming or cooking has, and seems 

 to be much more economical in spring or summer feeding. 



Feed stuffs which have a hard hull, such as barley, 

 should be ground, or if not ground, should be soaked for 



