FARMERS' REGISTER— RAW OR PREPARED FOOD FOR HOGS. 



263. 



It would thereibre appear that the ca'tle fell off 

 during the time they were out at grass, although, as 

 fbrmerly staled, the pasture was exceedingly fine. 

 We have often before thought that cattle which 

 had been highly kept during winter, made no im- 

 provement on grass, but never before had an op- 

 portunity of trying their live-weight. From this 

 t rial it would further appear, that the stot which 

 was formerly fed on steamed food, has done quite 

 as well since being again put on raw food, as the 

 one which was formerly fed on raw food, as they 

 at this day bear the same relative proportion in 

 their live-weight, which they did on the 20th of 

 May, namely, the raw is still 2 stones in fidvance, 

 having both increased 12 stones since the 20th of 

 May. 



We have not yet determined how long we will 

 keep the two stots, but intend noticing their res- 

 pective improvement so long as they are kept. 



EXPERIMEIVT ON THE COMPARATIVE ADVAN- 

 TAGES OF FEEDING HOGS ^ RAW OR ON 

 PREPARED FOOD. 



By MR. w. DUDGEON, Sypelaw, near Kelso. 



From the Prize Essays and Transaetions of the Hiehland Soci- 

 ety of Scotland— published in the last No. of the (British) 

 Journal of Agriculture— for June, 1834. 



The reporter having, for the last three years, 

 paid a good deal of attention to the rearing and 

 feeding of swine, has some satisfaction in report- 

 insr the result of his experiments. It being rather 

 difficult to select the animals all of the exact age 

 and the same sex, the reporter considered it of 

 greater consequence to have the ten shots of the 

 saitie kind, considering the sex to be less material. 

 He was fortunate in getting nine of them of one 

 litter when nine weeks old,"and had other three of 

 the same description from another sow. He ac- 

 cordingly proceeded to put up two lots in separate 

 crews, or sow-houses, say six he pigs in one place, 

 and five she ones in the other; having had them 

 all successfully cut, and with every appearance of 



doing well. At the same time, the reporter placed 

 other three pigs in a different allotment. 



In the mean time, the reporter, on the 2d of July, 

 began to feed the two first lots, gising boiled po- 

 tatoes to the one description, being lot No. 1. 

 (males,) and to the other, No. 2. (females,) raw 

 potatoes; both lots continued to eat this food with 

 great avidity, getting, at the same time, a little cut 

 i^rass. About a fortnight afterwards, the reporter 

 changed the food to beans — raw and boiled, of 

 course, to the separate lots. Lot No. 1. got boiled 

 beans, which they ate pretty well; and the other 

 lot got raw beans ground, mixed with water, and 

 salt being applied with both the raw and boiled 

 beans; but the lot No. 2. were very shy in eating 

 their food for some time, and seemed to prefer the 

 cut grass: they, in consequence, did not keep pace 

 with lot No. 1., as they took to the boiled food 

 more readily. However, in the course of eight 

 days, lot No. 2. seemed to take more with the 

 hashed beans, and devoured them greedily, which 

 caused a sort of eruption to come out upon their 

 ears, showing that the food was rather heating for 

 them. The reporter, in consequence, caused a 

 proportion of potatoes to be given with the beans, 

 and added a little more salt, always, of course, ob- 

 serving to give No. 1. the boiled "food, and No. 2. 

 the raw. That this mixture had the eflect of allay- 

 ing the irritability and itchiness on their ears and 

 skin, was very soon observable by their taking on 

 fat, and appearing altogether more healthy. The 

 reporter was particularly well situated for venti- 

 lating the sow-houses, where they got plenty of 

 room to move about, and had a separate place for 

 feeding and exercise, as well as a place for them to 

 repose in, after receiving their several quantuma. 

 These circumstances he considers of consequence 

 in the feeding of these animals, for when kept dry, 

 clean, and airy, they thrive and feed well on com- 

 paratively little food, as will be shown by their re- 

 spective weights, taken at different times, in the 

 annexed table. 



Respectmg the three pigp, whicli shall be de- 



