CHAPTER XXXII. 



VALUE OF THE YAEIOUS FEEDING STUFFS FOE SWINE. 

 I. CEREAL GRAINS AND THEIR BY-PRODUCTS. 



842. Corn. Indian corn, the grain of the maize plant, is the com- 

 mon swine food in the great pork-producing districts of America. 

 It is most proper, then, that in our study of feeds for swine we first 

 of all consider the value of unground shelled corn in pork produc- 

 tion. The results of feeding trials at 9 stations in as many states 

 are condensed in the following table : 



Returns from a bushel, 56 Ibs., of shelled corn. 



The table shows that it required from 479 to 587 Ibs. of shelled 

 corn, or an average of 537 Ibs., for 100 Ibs. gain with fattening hogs. 

 A bushel, 56 Ibs., of shelled corn made 9.5 to 11.7 Ibs. of gain, the 

 average for all being 10.5 Ibs. 



Article 821 shows that, on the average, shelled corn ground to a 

 meal is about 6 per ct. more valuable for fattening hogs than whole 

 corn, a sum too small in most cases to pay for grinding. As is 

 pointed out in that article, pigs eat more corn meal than whole corn 

 in a given time and consequently gain faster, a matter of impor- 

 tance in some cases. 



In the corn belt most of the corn is fed on the cob, a commend- 

 able practice since it involves the least labor by the feeder and is 

 satisfactory to the animals. (822) Where early fall feeding is de- 

 sirable, corn in the roasting-ear stage may be supplied, stalks and 



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