Investigations with Swine. 



553 



845. Feed for 100 pounds of gain. The last column is of in- 

 terest to all, especially the practical feeder, for it teaches a most 

 interesting and important lesson concerning the feed requirements 

 of pigs. Those which averaged 38 pounds each made 100 pounds 

 of gain from 293 pounds of feed. This exceedingly small allow- 

 ance of feed for gain was probably due in part to the fact that the 

 young pigs used in these trials received much skim milk, which 

 was practically all digestible, the other feed given being also 

 more highly digestible than that usually supplied older animals. 

 With pigs weighing 78 pounds, 400 pounds of feed were required 

 for 100 pounds of gain. There was a gradual increase in feed 

 requirements for 100 pounds of gain, until the hog weighing 320 

 pounds required 535 pounds of grain for 100 of gain. This is 135 

 pounds, or 33 per cent., more feed than was required by the 78- 

 pound pig. (566, 757, 907) 



846. Percentage gain of pigs from birth to maturity. In a pre- 

 ceding table (830) were given the birth-weight and weekly gains 

 of twelve litters of pigs. In the table just presented the weights 

 and gains for older animals were given. Combining data from 

 both these tables the following is deduced, which presents the 

 weekly gain in pounds and percentagely of pigs from birth to 

 maturity: 



Weekly gain of pigs from birth to maturity Various Stations. 



