12 



Harmony between Packer and Feeder. 



Most of the farms in the neighbourhood of Calne feed pigs in large numbers and practi- 

 cally all go through the Harris factory. Here, strange to say, very few pigs are bred, the 

 feeders preferring to buy stores at three to five months old. An interesting and profitable 

 tour was made among feeders in the neighbourhood. It was interesting to find a marked 

 uniformity in the ideas and methods of feeders as well as a very general feeling of sym- 

 pathy between the feeders and the packing company. This comfortable and very profitable 

 state of affairs is the result of harmonious co-operation instituted largely by the packers 

 who conscious of their entire dependance on the supplies and condition of hogs have done 

 much to encourage production of the right sort. Messrs. Harris & Co. have interested 

 themselves in cheapening production but in all they have done have never lost sight of 

 quality. Some years ago they made careful tests of breeds and crosses of pigs and after 

 determining the superiority of the Yorkshire cross undertook to supply boars of this breed 

 at the lowest possible cost and on easy terms of payment. The next step was to encourage 

 production in quantity and quality of pigs. To accomplish this the Wilts County Council 

 was induced to take up a series of pig feeding experiments and demonstrations in cheap 

 production. A Committee of ten members consisting chiefly of farmers was formed. Con- 

 tributions to carry on the work were made by Lord Lansdowne whose estate joins Calne, 

 the Harris Company and the County Council. A thoroughly capable and painstaking 

 secretary was appointed to keep records, while a son of one of the leading farmers was 

 entrusted with the actual feeding. The tests and demonstrations were carried on for five 

 years after which time the Secretary and scientific adviser gave courses of lectures through- 

 out the country and distributed reports. 



Feeding Experiments. 



During the five years 720 pigs were fed from store to finished condition. No special 

 care was taken to select stores, which were of no special breed, and were bought in the 

 manner customery among the great majority of the farmers in the district. For the feeding 

 tests comfortable and sanitary pens were erected each to accomodate ten pigs. The foods 

 used were those commonly employed in that part of England and consisted of the following: 

 corn, barley, oats, peas, and bean chop, bran, separated milk, potatoes and mangels as also 

 a number of proprietory foods. The dry food was soaked in water in the proportion of 

 one peck of the former to 5 gallons of the latter, except when separated milk was used it 

 replaced its own volume of water in the mixture. The potatoes were boiled and the man- 

 gels sliced. The pigs were fed three times a day as much each time as they could clean up. 



The weights of pigs at the commencement of fattening ranged from about 90 to 140 

 Ibs. The live weights when finished ranged from 133 to 236 Ibs. The feeding periods 

 ranged from 7 to 14 weeks. An examination of the exhaustive report of the tests shows the 

 following conclusions : 



Gains from Different Diets 



The diets which gave the highest weekly increase in live weight were: 



1 Barley, separated milk and potatoes 15.8 Ibs. 



2 Corn, separated milk and potatoes 15. 1 Ibs. 



3 Barley and separated milk 13.3 Ibs. 



4 Corn and separated milk 13 . Ibs. 



5 Barley and potatoes 12.8 Ibs. 



Diet and Quality of Pigs. 



A larger proportion of best pigs for bacon was obtained with barley than with corn 

 feeding. 



The addition of either milk or bran, but especially the latter, to barley or corn raised 

 the proportion of best pigs. 



