252 SWINE IN AMERICA 



each equal to one pound of barley. The quantity of dry 

 matter in each of these allowances of beets is practically 

 the same. It is apparent, therefore, that the value of 

 beets as food for swine depends upon the quantity of dry 

 matter they contain rather than their total weight. It 

 was concluded from these experiments that 40 per cent 

 of the ration of the pig may be advantageously made up 

 of roots." 



"In another series of experiments nearly 900 pigs were 

 used in root-feeding trials. Carrots were found to have 

 no higher value than mangels, dry matter being taken 

 into account. The common field turnip is over 90 per 

 cent water. Since grain feeds are much higher in Den- 

 mark than in America, it is natural that root crops gen- 

 erally should be more highly appreciated by stockmen 

 there than in this country. On the other hand, even if 

 the grains are cheap 'with us, we should not insist that 

 growing pigs and breeding swine should be kept upon 

 these concentrated materials alone. Such material lacks 

 bulk, and when fed in reasonable quantity to growing 

 and breeding stock the stomach and intestines are all the 

 time in a condition of collapse. Volume is an essential 

 constituent of feed and, in a way, it is as important as 

 nutriment. Roots furnish this to swine in the best form 

 possible." 



IRISH POTATOES 



Potatoes do not have as high feeding value as roots, 

 but are often more readily available. Results from feed- 

 ing with raw potatoes are not generally satisfactory, but 

 when cooked so as to be mealy and not too soggy the 



