58 



something for the whey. He has studied how to get these, and follows intelligently 

 what he has found to give best results. Having learned that sweet whey is better than 

 sour, he gives it as fresh as possible and avoids, as a principle, feeding a larger quantity 

 than experience has taught to be economical. The feeding is done with every care and 

 regularity, usually by the same person. The Scots feeder would teach the Canadian 

 cheese factory patron that there is a profit in the intelligent feeding of whey in sweet 

 condition tc pigs from store to finished weight. 



The industry as conducted in Denmark has lessons for the Canadian pig raiser all 

 along the way. The top place in the bacon trade of England has been the goal in view, 

 and the energies of the government, the pig breeder, the pig feeder, the curer and the 

 seller, all point in the one direction. As one man all interested in the industry pull 

 together and every branch separately w^orks for perfection of the whole. The pig raiser 

 wants only bacon pigs, and these as prolific and good as possible. The feeder, with his 

 eye constantly on the grade his pigs shall ultimately reach, studies to gain this from 

 the least outlay for feed. He does nothing by spells and spasms, but finds the road and 

 persists in following it. Judgment born of successful experience keeps his day to day 

 practice right, and as a pig raiser he succeeds. His conditions are not unlike those of 

 the Canadian farmer who follows dairying, except that he has more feed to buy on 

 account of his limited acres. He is succeeding because he will keep only such pigs as 

 are good mothers of vigorous litters; in feeding them only on such food and in 

 such a manner as he knows gives greatest ultimate profit; in observing the demands 

 of the market upon which the size of his pay cheque depends; and by his confidence 

 in his own efforts and those in charge of the other branches of the industry. 



Everywhere the ideas of pig feeders agree with those of the most successful Cana- 

 dians in regard to the best age to wean litters. Nowhere were breeders found weaning 

 at less than six weeks, and most breeders leave the litters on the sow until two months 

 old. 



Both in Denmark and Ireland the results of feeding experiments agree with those 

 carried out at Canadian experiment stations in that the cost of gain per pound increases 

 with age and live weight. In Denmark especially it is confidently believed by feeders 

 that hogs that are kept thrifty and growing from the time they are weaned until ready 

 for market at five and a half to seven months old, weighing about 200 lbs., are more 

 profitably fed than those given longer time to finish or carried to heavier weights. 



The value of milk and whey in pig feeding was everywhere exemplified. The 

 Commission saw very few pigs being fed without one or the other, and nowhere were 

 these foods fed without a care for the greatest profit. 



Roughage in the form of roots or other green fodder is considered an essential part 

 of the successful pig raisers' food supply. These, it is generally believed, help materi- 

 ally to maintain thrift in breeding and growing stock. Nowhere can these be cheaper 

 grown than in Canada and no pig raiser can afford to be without them. 



Another lesson gathered in each country visited is the importance of carefully 

 grading the ration according to the age of the pigs and the object in view. Everywhere 

 young pigs were fed on easily digested food rather light in character and with only a 

 small percentage of green food. As the pigs get older roughage is increased to cheapen 

 the ration and strengthen and keep in tone the digestive organs. As the finishing 

 approaches the ration is made stronger which hastens the fattening and assures a high 

 quality of meat. A study of the feeding throughout the report will impress this 

 important lesson. 



The Marketing End. 



The members of the Commission are aware that many Canadian farmers under- 

 stand well the economical production of pork. They are also familiar with the cry of a 

 large nvmiber who claim that they cannot make pig raising profitable even at the high 

 level at which prices of hogs have been maintained during the past two years. This, 

 however, does not fully explain the gradual serious decline in the production of hogs 



