640 



Feeda and Feeding. 



It will be seen that the sow lost 29 pounds in weight while 

 suckling her pigs, the pigs gaining from 21.8 to 57.3 pounds each 

 in the ten weeks between farrowing and weaning. For the seven 

 weeks succeeding weaning, the individual gains ranged from 31 

 to 54 pounds. 



830. Weight of pigs at birth — Early gains. — At the Wisconsin 

 Station, ^ the writer kept records of the birth -weight and also 

 weekly gains of twelve litters, numbering 86 pigs in all, for a 

 period of ten weeks, at the close of which they were weaned. 

 After weaning the records were continued with eight litters, con- 

 taining 62 pigs in all, for seven weeks. The dams were pure-bred 

 or high-grade Poland-Chinas or Chester Whites. The results are 

 shown below. 



Average birth-weight and weeJcly gains of pigs before and after wean- 

 ing — Wisconsin Station. 



The heaviest pig in these litters weighed 3.6 pounds at birth 

 and the lightest 1.6 pounds, the average for the lot being 2.5 

 pounds. 



During the first week after birth the pigs made a gain of 1.9 

 pounds. Overlooking irregularities, we may say that the pigs 

 made a weekly gain of three pounds per head the fifth week after 

 birth, four pounds the seventh week and five and one-half pounda 

 the tenth week. At the end of the seventh week after veaning, 



» Repts. 1889, 1890, 1897. 



