FEEDING PIGLINGS 265 



health. In winter, small coals, cinders, or a grass turf 

 should be given to them in the pig-box. Precipitated 

 chalk to the extent of J to J oz. per head per day, 

 may also be added to their daily food. 



The piglings grow rapidly, and give a splendid 

 return for food consumed, seeing that 3 Ibs. of meal 

 will easily give i Ib. live weight increase. Professor 

 Davies (Wisconsin) found by weighing piglings at 6.30 

 A.M. and 6.30 P.M., that 71 per cent, of the increase in 

 live weight was made in the night, and only 29 per cent, 

 in daytime. 



Although good breeding is important with pigs 

 intended for fattening, it has been said that " half the 

 breed of a pig goes in at the mouth," which emphasises 

 the importance of the care required in fattening pigs off 

 rapidly and economically. 



After weaning, the meal ration should be gradually 

 increased both in quantity and variety, but maize meal 

 should not be fed too freely to young growing pigs. 

 Professor Fuller (Wisconsin) proved that maize alone 

 was not a suitable food by itself for young growing pigs, 

 on account of its lack of bone-forming material. He 

 reared two lots, one with maize alone, and another 

 with a mixture of maize meal, wheat middlings, and 

 skim milk. The pigs fed on maize alone weighed at 

 end of this experiment 84 to 103 Ibs., and in the latter 

 case 130 to 190 Ibs. Further, the thigh bones of the 

 mixed meal and skim milk lot were 50 per cent, 

 stronger than those fed on maize alone. 



If fed at all, maize meal should be fed in conjunction 

 with foods which are both rich in albuminoids and 

 mineral constituents, such as pea and bean meal. 



The piglings may either be fed off at once for pork, 

 or run on cheaply for a time and fed off later for bacon. 



