244 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



clear that in proportion to its weight the sheep eats 

 more food than the steer and yields a greater in- 

 crease in consequence ; but the pig, by eating more 

 heartily, consumes more food and yields more meat 

 or increase than either. 



Fastest Gains Are Made During Early Growth. 

 It used to be that hogs were kept as stockers on 

 grass until they had reached a year or two in age, 

 and then be fed until they weighed from 300 to 500 

 pounds. When slaughtered or sold they, of course, 



THEY ATE MUCH AND DEVELOPED RAPIDLY 



The hog consumes less dry food to produce a given increase than either 

 the sheep or the steer. He is therefore our best meat maker. 



showed great returns, but the cost of bringing up to 

 such weights was not considered. When put to the 

 test it was soon realized that while such hogs in the 

 feed lot would take on a large increase, the cost of 

 the increase was far above the returns in money. 

 In other words, large hogs will steadily take on in- 

 crease, but they do so only with great consumption 

 of food. 



