240 Pork Production 



grown grain should be used as the basis of the fattening 

 ration. Although these dry-lot fed pigs have the age 

 which makes their requirements for protein and mineral 

 matter less than during the summer, their demands for 

 growing constituents are nevertheless greater than can 

 be supplied by corn or any other grain alone. A ration 

 that is both cheap and balanced is necessary to insure 

 economical gains and a quick market finish. 



In dry lot feeding, the supply of protein with which to 

 balance the home-grown grains must be obtained largely 

 in the form of commercial by-products, known generally 

 as nitrogenous or protein supplements. Owing to the 

 increasing use of grain for human consumption and the 

 higher prices for pork products, these feeds have assumed 

 a position of much greater importance than formerly 

 when prices were lower. The necessity of feeding a 

 supplement with the grains has been determined by 

 numerous experimental studies at the state experiment 

 stations, as well as by the accumulated experiences of 

 practical feeders. 



DAIRY BY-PRODUCTS 



The by-products of the dairy are more highly prized 

 by hog-men than perhaps any other form of protein 

 supplement. The value of skim-milk and buttermilk 

 is such as to make pork production a valuable adjunct 

 to profitable dairying when either of these products are 

 available for swine feeding. Although 100 pounds of 

 skim-milk or buttermilk contain less than 10 pounds of 

 dry matter, this latter is so rich in easily digested proteins 

 and mineral constituents of the kinds needed as to make 

 them unusually efficient as means of balancing the grains. 



