Feeding and Care of Pigs 137 



constituents is fed in quantities above a certain minimum, 

 or in larger amounts than are contained in corn. As 

 a consequence, the pigs in this experiment which were 

 restricted to a diet of straight corn were subjected to 

 a mild form of starvation, not so acute with pigs of this 

 development as occurs with those of younger age, the 

 effect of which was to lower the general vitality and 

 vigor and hence reduce their capacity and efficiency as 

 pork-producing machines. 



Both lots of pigs were appraised by market experts at 

 the close of the experiment and valued at the same price 

 a hundredweight. Both lots were uniformly very fat. 

 Although the pigs which received the balanced ration 

 were more than 70 pounds heavier and had smoother 

 and more glossy coats of hair, those fed corn alone were 

 practically as well finished, and representing a more 

 popular weight, sold at the same price. A summary of 

 all similar data from other experiments in which well- 

 grown pigs were fed supports the conclusion that, as a 

 rule, the feeding of a balanced ration has little effect in 

 increasing the dressing percentage or enhancing the selling 

 price over pigs fed corn alone. This is because the corn 

 ration tends to check growth and stimulate or hasten 

 fat production. The chief benefits to be derived, there- 

 fore, from feeding a nitrogenous supplement with corn 

 to well-grown shotes which are being fattened for market 

 are in the faster gains, the earlier market, and the saving 

 of feed required to produce a given gain. These benefits 

 are amply sufficient to condemn the practice of feeding 

 corn alone. 



The pigs fed in the above experiment averaged 135 

 pounds at the beginning of the test, and were well grown 

 and thin in flesh. They were probably late spring pigs 



