1190 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



The increase in the amount of food required to make one 

 hundred pounds increase in live weight would probably not 

 have been so great had the pigs been fed on a more suitable 

 diet. The constant corn-feeding doubtless impaired their assim- 

 ilative powers. But in another experiment with calves fed on 

 skim milk the same principle was demonstrated. They were fed 

 for ten weeks, and the number of pounds of skim milk required 

 to make an increase of one hundred pounds live weight is shown 

 in the following table : 



Pounds skim milk required to make 100 

 pounds increase in live weight. 



First week, . . . 1,102 



Second week, 1,218 



Third week, 1,317 



Fourth week, 1,340 



Fifth week, 1,460 



Sixth week, ....;.... 1,505 



Seventh week, 1,071 



Eighth week, 1,680 



Ninth week, 1,701 



Tenth week, 1,608 



In this case also the increase in the amount of food required 

 to make a given increase in live weight, or the decrease in the 

 amount of growth produced from a given amount of food sup- 

 plied is very marked, and the rule holds good in almost every 

 case. The young animal assimilates a larger proportion of the 

 food supplied, and uses less for the repair of waste and carrying 

 on the vital functions. 



The case is similar with fattening animals. As the period 

 of fattening approaches completion the amount of food required 

 to produce a pound of gain in live weight continually increases. 

 The following table gives the result of an experiment with six- 

 teen pigs which were fed ten weeks and weighed at the end of 

 every two weeks ; their average weight at the commencement of 

 the experiment was 135.8 pounds, and at its close 276.3 pounds. 

 They were fed on barley and pea meal : 



Pounds of food required to make 100 

 pounds increase in live weight. 



First two weeks, 386 



Second two weeks, 



Third two weeks, 500 



Fourth two weeks, 511 



Fifth two weeks, 618 



