Influence of Feed on the Animal Body. 



83 



110. Strength of thigh-bones. In the Wisconsin and Kansas 

 trials the strength of the thigh-bones of the pigs in the different 

 lots was determined in the following manner: The two rounded 

 iron-supporting edges of the testing machine were set four inches 

 apart, and on these the thigh-bones were placed, one at a time, 

 always in the same position. The rounded eklge of the breaking 

 bar rested on the bone midway between the two supports. The 

 pressure downward upon the bone, which was gradually increased, 

 was measured on the tilting-beam of the machine, and the weight 

 which the bone supported at the time it broke was recorded. In 

 every instance the pigs fed the protein- rich ration possessed the 

 strongest bones, the difference often being very marked. For 

 example, in one Wisconsin trial the bones of the corn- fed pigs 

 broke at 380 pounds on the average, and those of the pigs fed 

 milk, blood and middlings at 503 pounds. These weights are for 

 each 100 pounds of dressed carcass, and show in favor of the 

 mixed ration by 32 per cent. 



111. What analysis revealed. In one of the Wisconsin trials 

 we went further into details, making partial analyses of some of 

 the body organs. In this trial there were four pigs in each lot. 

 To the first lot was fed a ration consisting of one-third dried 

 blood and two-thirds corn meal, by weight. The second lot 

 received one-half pea meal and one-half corn meal, while the 

 third was fed corn meal only. All lots received hard-wood ashes, 

 salt and water additional. The weights and gains of the pigs 

 are shown in the following table: 



Weights and gains of pigs variously fed Wisconsin Station. 



It is shown by the table that the lot fed dried blood and corn 

 meal made the best gains with the least food, that receiving pea 



