INCREASE 205 



This ration is probably intended for sheep of smaller size. 

 At all events, if all the hay and enough of the swedes are 

 appropriated for the maintenance of sheep of 100 Ibs. live 

 weight, the balance of the ration is sufficient for an average 

 daily increase of only 0*23 Ib. 



Sheep are perhaps more often fattened at pasture, but 

 unless the pasture is exceptionally good and the best 

 pastures are not generally reserved for sheep it is customary 

 to give a certain allowance of cake or meal in addition. It is 

 difficult to ascertain exactly what amount of grass sheep actually 

 consume when grazing, but it is easy to calculate what they 

 actually require. Assuming that the grass is of the average 

 composition given in the tables, about 8 Ibs. per day would be 

 required for the maintenance of a loo-lbs. animal, and an 

 additional 7 Ibs. is required to provide for a daily increase 

 of J Ib. If i Ib. of undecorticated cotton cake were fed, 

 only 4 Ibs. of grass would be required for the remainder of the 

 increase; or, adding the amount required for maintenance, 

 about 12 Ibs. in all, i.e. with i Ib. of cake. Very different 

 estimates of the amount of grass consumed are sometimes 

 given, but in most cases they are merely guesses without 

 foundation of any kind. 



Fattening Pigs. Owing to the physiological differences 

 previously referred to, pigs are unable to utilise to advantage 

 the coarse fodders that are suitable for the maintenance of 

 ruminants. The notion that " pigs will thrive on anything " 

 kale runts and dishwater is not founded on fact. They 

 require finer, not coarser, foods than other animals, and 

 are often fed entirely on a single food, such as barley 

 meal. 



The investigation of the requirements of pigs is complicated 

 by the fact that they are generally fattened while still young. 

 The food requirements for maintenance, growth, and fattening 

 are all different, and should be investigated separately. 



As pigs are rarely kept in store condition it is difficult to 

 determine exactly what the maintenance requirements are. 

 Sanborn's l experiments are almost the only available data on 

 1 Bui. 28, Missouri Agricultural College. 



