142 HOW TO PEED YOUR HOGS 



Again the figures show that preparation for older hogs is in 

 order, but that soaking shelled corn is equally if not more advan- 

 tageous than grinding, or grinding and soaking. 



From the results given, therefore, we may rightfully conclude 

 that young pigs make relatively faster and more economical gains 

 on dry ear corn than they do on soaked shelled corn, or dry ground 

 corn, or soaked ground corn, and, furthermore, that as pigs grow 

 older, and heavier, the corn that is prepared makes a little more 

 rapid gains and requires a little less feed for 100 pounds of gain, 

 but in any case, drawing broad conclusions, soaketj shelled corn is 

 to be generally preferred to dry ground corn or soaked ground corn. 



Indiana Results. A word as regards the results of Prof. F. G. 

 King of Indiana along the same line. He fed swine of different 

 weights and ages on three different corn preparations ear corn, 

 dry shelled corn and ground corn (just wet enough so it would not 

 be thrown out of the troughs by the pigs while eating). In all 

 instances the corn was balanced with a little wheat middlings or 

 wheat middlings and tankage. As we study the figures we conclude 

 without presenting them for consideration that shelled corn as com- 

 pared to ear corn for young pigs is about equally good, not only 

 as regards the gains made but the feed required for 100 pounds of 

 gain. There is little difference in these two. The older swine above 

 100 pounds show that ear corn is apparently a little better feed, 

 although the differences are relatively slight and within the limits 

 of experimental error. Ground corn, as compared to ear corn, is 

 just a little less efficient for real young pigs, although^ only slightly 

 so ; whereas for older swine ground corn comes into its own, becom- 

 ing more and more efficient as the hogs get older and heavier, in 

 that the gains are a little more rapid and the feed required for 100 

 pounds of gain is a little less. The results show a saving of some 

 17 pounds of feed for 100 pounds of gain where ground corn is 

 fed as compared to ear corn for pigs weighing 140 to 220 pounds 

 at the beginning of the feeding test. Roughly speaking, this would 

 mean a saving of about 4 percent in feed, which is hardly sufficient 

 to cover the cost of shelling, grinding and wetting when corn is low 

 in price. When corn is high in price it may do so. But the point 

 is that soaked shelled corn is as efficient as ground corn; hence 

 why grind? Why waste time? Why wear out a feed grinder for 

 this purpose? 



Of course, if one has show stock, it is a case of doing anything 

 reasonable to stimulate the appetite, and a little ground corn is 

 useful in such a situation. We prefer usually to wet or soak the 



