220 FARM ANIMALS 



such material, but objections may be made to 

 the practice on a sanitary basis since pigs fed in 

 this way may become tuberculous or infested 

 with trichina. Tankage as it comes from the 

 slaughter-houses is variable in quality, but always 

 contains a high percentage of protein and is, 

 therefore, suitable for balancing rations of corn. 

 This material is fed in large quantities and al- 

 ways with profitable results. It may be fed at 

 the rate of a pound to five or ten pounds of corn 

 meal. When tankage is added to a ration con- 

 taining corn meal the cost of production is di- 

 minished by nearly two cents a pound. More- 

 over, tankage does not show any injurious effects 

 on the quality of the meat and, in fact, the pork 

 of tankage fed hogs is firmer than that from hogs 

 which receive only corn ; and the strength of bone 

 and general finish of hogs when receiving tank- 

 age is of the very best. 



Attention has already been frequently called 

 to the 'fact that corn meal is not a satisfactory 

 ration in producing pork. The necessary pro- 

 tein for balancing corn may be obtained not only 

 from nitrogenous grains and leguminous forage 

 plants, but from animal meals. We, thus, have 

 other sources of protein for adding to the grain to 

 give strength and vigor to hogs during the fat- 

 tening period and to prevent them from getting 

 off feed. In some cases tankage does not give 

 quite as favorable results in pork production as 

 middlings or soy-beans, but it is ordinarily a very 

 valuable and successful feed for pigs. As already 

 indicated tankage is only one of the various 

 animal feeds which may be fed to pigs. Dif- 

 ferent packers furnish different grades of tankage 

 and in addition to tankage proper we may use 



