656 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



results when fed under suitable conditions. Recent investigations have 

 shown that the proteins of linseed meal are low in the same amino acids 

 which are deficient in the cereal grains. (118) Also, linseed meal is 

 lacking in lime, and hence fails to supplement the cereals in this regard. 



For these reasons linseed meal and grain alone is a very unsatisfactory 

 ration for young pigs which are not on pasture. On such a ration they 

 will make poor gains, and often several will become stunted or suffer 

 from paralysis or rickets. Even when a supply of calcium is added in 

 the form of finely ground limestone, steamed bone meal, or ground rock 

 phosphate, the results are not greatly improved. The primary deficiency 

 in a ration of linseed meal and grain for young pigs seems to be the 

 unbalanced nature of the protein, for if such feeds as tankage or dairy 

 by-products, which furnish well-balanced animal proteins, are added to 

 the ration, good results are secured. 



For fattening well-grown pigs weighing 125 to 150 Ibs. linseed meal 

 and grain is a fair ration, probably due to the fact that such animals 

 are storing protein in their bodies as lean meat much less rapidly than 

 young pigs, and can therefore get along better on an unbalanced supply 

 of food protein. Also, for young pigs on such protein-rich pasture as 

 alfalfa, clover, rape, or oats-peas-and-rape, a combination of grain and 

 linseed meal alone produces good gains, tho not as rapid or as economical 

 as a combination of grain, linseed meal, and a little of some feed of 

 animal origin, like tankage or dairy by-products. 



These conclusions concerning linseed meal, which differ widely from 

 statements generally made only a few years ago, are proven conclusively 

 by the trials summarized in the following table. This gives first the 

 results of 11 trials in which young pigs averaging 64 Ibs. in weight at 

 the start have been fed linseed meal and corn without pasture in com- 

 parison with others fed tankage and corn for about 100 days on the 

 average. The next portion of the table gives the results of 10 other 

 trials in which linseed meal and tankage have been compared as a 

 supplement to corn for pigs averaging 135 Ibs. when the experiments 

 began. Last are given the results of 7 trials in which 73-lb. pigs were 

 fed either linseed meal or tankage as a supplement to corn on alfalfa, 

 rape, or oats-peas-and-rape pasture. Both trials with young pigs 

 averaged over 100 days in length, while the older pigs were fed 71 days 

 on the average. 



The young pigs fed linseed meal and corn in dry lot without pasture 

 gained only 1.02 Ibs. a day on the average, while those on tankage 

 gained 1.31 Ibs. In several of the trials some of the pigs on linseed meal 

 became unthrifty and a few became paralyzed. Had the pigs been 

 started on this ration still earlier the results would have been still poorer. 

 Either limestone or rock phosphate was added to the ration in 3 of the 

 tests, but this did not help greatly. 



By computation it will be found that for these young pigs not on 

 pasture it took 185 Ibs. linseed meal and 115 Ibs. corn to replace each 



