306 SWINE IN AMERICA 



GROUND FEED 



The advisability of grinding feed is more or less de- 

 pendent on prices prevailing for it, unless the expense of 

 grinding is slight or may be entirely disregarded. If 

 the whole feed is high in the open market and the feed- 

 er's cost of grinding is low he may effect enough of a 

 saving to make grinding profitable. There is undeni- 

 ably some loss through the excrement when whole grain 

 is fed. more with oats or barley than with corn, but Ca- 

 nadian records (Central Experimental Farm Bulletin No. 

 ^^) show that the cjuantity is not excessive. In case the 

 corn is flinty and unusually hard and it is intended for 

 young swine, grinding may prevent sore mouths, and 

 should aid growth. 



Most of the records which have been kept relating to 

 the grinding of feed have concerned the grinding of 

 corn, and the results ha\e been varying and not decisive. 

 The most extended investigations have been made at the 

 AVisconsin station, and are summarized in the Nineteenth 

 Annual Report of that station (page lo) ; these showed 

 losses in some instances and gains in other trials through 

 grinding the corn. Advantages from the feeding of 

 ground corn for fattening are problematical and de- 

 pendent on local conditions. 



More can be said in favor of grinding peas, soy beans. 

 Kafir-corn, millet seed and the various small grains. 

 Records kept at the Canadian Central experimental farm 

 showed a little gain in weight from feeding peas ground, 

 but there was a saving of 17 per cent in quantity. Ex- 

 periments with small grains shcnv an advantage from 

 grinding, by reason of the amount saved in digestion. 



