FARM ANIMALS 221 



beef scraps, bone meal, animal meals, and various 

 other animal products. 



The Cause of Soft Pork. Nearly all feeds have 

 an effect upon the softness or firmness of bacon 

 or pork in addition to their feeding value. It 

 is necessary to give some attention to this in order 

 to secure pork of the highest market quality. 

 The standard of firmness for pork varies some- 

 what in different parts of the country. Thus, in 

 the southern states corn is frequently referred to 

 as producing a firm pork as compared with chufas, 

 peanuts and various other feeds which are known 

 to produce a very soft pork and lard. Cotton 

 seed meal, however, is well-known as a hardening 

 feed. It not only produces a firm quality of 

 lard and pork, but also has the same effect upon 

 tallow, butter and other animal products. The 

 Canadians have given more attention than have 

 we to the production of a fine grade of bacon 

 according to the requirements of the English 

 and Danish markets. The soft pork problem 

 has, therefore, been extensively investigated by Can- 

 adian hog raisers. According to their experience 

 and also that of American feeders throughout 

 the corn belt corn produces a pork which is too 

 soft. It is necessary, therefore, to add some 

 nitrogenous grain, skim milk or some other ma- 

 terial to balance the corn and secure firm bacon. 

 Among the feeds which have the tendency to pro- 

 duce firm bacon we may mention barley, blood 

 meal, bran, clover hay, wheat, oats, oat meal, 

 turnips, rye, shorts, skim milk, speltz, emmer, 

 distiller's grains, tankage, whey, and whole milk. 

 The common farm feeds which have the oppo- 

 site tendency or produce soft pork include peas, 

 buckwheat, city refuse, corn and gluten feeds. 



