BREEDS OF SWINE 495 



lent feeds, and, according to some authorities, pasture. If skim 

 milk, whey, and buttermilk are at command they can be combined 

 to very good advantage with the ration, commencing with a propor- 

 tion of about 2 pounds of milk to 1 of grain at weaning time, and 

 reducing the quantity of milk until the pigs are finished on grain 

 alone. A pig gives best returns from dairy by-products while young. 

 The fattening pigs should gain from 1 pound to 1^ pounds daily, 

 and should weigh between 250 and 300 pounds at 9 or 10 months of 

 age. Gains made after this weight are nearjy twice as expensive 

 as those made when weighing from 50 to 100 pounds, and a well- 

 bred pig having good quality and conformation finished at a weight 

 of about 250 pounds will very nearly fill the market requirements 

 fed. (Mich. B. 243.) 



In winter feeding it will be advisable to supply the feed while 

 warm, but in the use of all warm feeds every pailful used should be 

 stirred until at an even temperature and then tested with the finger. 

 It is a cruel neglect to supply hot food to a hungry pig. Sore 

 mouths, dislike of food, and apparent loss of appetite are sometimes 

 traceable to no other cause. Such mistakes will sometimes occur un- 

 less the feeder adopts the plan of stirring and testing every pailful 

 fed. (Mich B. 243.) 



Water. It is dangerous to let hogs have access to irrigation 

 ditches or streams, as these are great carriers of disease. A conven- 

 ient way to water hogs is to mount a barrel on a small sled and at- 

 tach a hog waterer. As many barrels and sleds can be used as are 

 needed to maintain a full supply of water, and by this method the 

 water can be placed in the pasture or feed lot wnere the hogs can 

 reach it without travel. A hog should drink small quantities of 

 water often, and not overload the digestive tract with large quanti- 

 ties, as he will when he has to travel a considerable distance for it. 

 (Colo. B. 146.) 



Stock Foods and Mineral Mixtures. In themselves, there is 

 no special objections to stock foods. In fact, there are brands made 

 that are rich in nutriment, and have a high value as a food. The 

 principal criticism that can be made is the excessive price generally 

 charged for them, which is far beyond their value. No doubt, in 

 many cases oil meal will give fully as satisfactory results as the stock 

 food. (Ind. B. 93.) 



The result of comparison indicates that so far as the true feed- 

 ing value of any of the stock foods examined is concerned, the 

 bran is rather the better food. Now as to cost, it seems that the 

 International retails at 12 cents per pound, the Clover brand at 11 

 cents and the others at 10 cents. Thus these foods cost the farmer 

 respectively $240.00, $220.00 and $200.00 per ton. In this respect 

 the bran has even at its present inflated price, $20.00 per ton, from 

 ten to twelve times the advantage. 



By comparing the analyses given in the foregoing table with 

 those published by the Iowa Station. Bulletin 87, another grave 

 fault appears in these so-called foods. They are not of uniform com- 

 position. That is, they are not scientifically compounded so that a 



