648 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



There was practically no difference in rate of gain between the pigs 

 fed semi-solid buttermilk and those fed tankage, either in dry lot or on 

 pasture. With corn at 56 cents a bushel and tankage at $60 a ton, semi- 

 solid buttermilk was actually worth only $20.34 a ton in these trials, 

 while the price was nearly as high as that of tankage. In each of the 8 

 trials the ration of tankage and corn produced materially cheaper gains 

 than semi-solid buttermilk. 



Semi-solid buttermilk has had a higher value per ton where a relatively 

 small amount has been added to a ration already quite well balanced. In 5 

 trials 78 semi-solid buttermilk has been added to rations of corn and 

 tankage, or of corn, tankage, and shorts, or else has been substituted for 

 tankage in a ration of grain, tankage, and either shorts or alfalfa hay. 

 The pigs fed semi-solid buttermilk in these trials received 1.0 Ib. a head 

 daily and gained 1.65 Ibs., compared with 1.47 Ibs. for those receiving 

 none of this feed. On the average, however, semi-solid buttermilk was 

 worth only about two-thirds as much as tankage, while its cost was nearly 

 as high as that of tankage. In 3 trials by Ferrin and McCarty at the 

 Minnesota Station, 79 semi-solid buttermilk proved an uneconomical feed 

 for pigs when rations of shelled corn, semi-solid buttermilk, and red dog 

 flour, with or without linseed meal in addition, were compared with a 

 ration of corn, tankage, red dog flour, and linseed meal. 



Dried buttermilk is an excellent protein-rich feed for young pigs, but 

 its high price makes it uneconomical compared with other supplements 

 usually available. Tho it contains less than 40 per ct. protein, the cost 

 per ton is usually about twice that of tankage containing 60 per ct. 

 protein. In a trial at the Iowa Station 80 Eward found that, pound for 

 pound, dried buttermilk was actually worth less than tankage as a 

 supplement to corn for fattening pigs. 



963. Whey. Whey is relatively low in protein, as the casein of the 

 milk is removed in cheesemaking. Indeed there is but 0.8 Ib. protein 

 in 100 Ibs. of whey and the nutritive ratio is 1 :6.8. Owing to this low 

 content of protein, until recently it was not thot that whey had any 

 value as a supplement to the cereal grains. However, surprising results 

 have been secured in feeding trials by Morrison and Bohstedt at the Wis- 

 consin Station 81 in which well-grown pigs weighing 125 to 150 Ibs. have 

 been fattened on only barley and skimmed whey. In 2 trials pigs self- 

 fed ground barley and given in addition all the whey they would drink 

 gained 2.22 Ibs. a head daily, eating 7.8 Ibs. barley a day and drinking 

 18.4 Ibs. whey. They required only 353 Ibs. barley and 854 Ibs. whey 

 for 100 Ibs. gain. Pigs self-fed barley and tankage gained on the average 

 only 1.64 Ibs. daily in these trials, and required 450 Ibs. barley and 



78 Evvard and Culbertson, Iowa Station (Information to the authors) ; Ferrin 

 and Winchester (Kan. Cir. 78) ; Gramlich and Loeffel (Nebr. Bui. 175 and in- 

 formation to the authors); Weaver, Mo. Station (Information to the authors). 



"Information to the authors. 



""Information to the authors. 



M Wls. Bnls. 319, pp. 70-71; 323. pp. 8-10. 



