SIZE, PROLIFICACY AND QUALITY 25 



from this that during the fourth and fifth months of the 

 life of the pig, he has eaten an average of about four 

 pounds of feed per day. This is on the basis of dry feed 

 such as corn, barley, middlings, and other grains that 

 may be fed. Considering this in connection with the live 

 weight given above, it will be seen that a pig eating four 

 pounds of feed per day for one month of thirty days, will 

 require 120 pounds of feed for the 50 pounds gained in 

 live weight, as shown in Fig. 1 of the cut. At this rate 

 the pig is making pork at a cost of 2.4 pounds of feed 

 for every pound of pork produced. Figuring the feed at 

 one cent per pound, it will be seen that pork at this time 

 in the life of the pig can be made at 2.4 cents per pound. 



Considering the age of the pig from ten to twelve 

 months inclusive, where it takes three months to add 50 

 pounds in live weight, as shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen 

 from Fig. 2 of the cut that he is eating more than seven 

 pounds of feed daily. Assuming that he would require 

 only seven pounds per day for three months, he would 

 require under the conditions taken for Fig. 1 630 pounds 

 of feed to put on 50 pounds of gain in live weight. This 

 would be at the rate of 12.6 pounds of feed for every 

 pound of gain made and at the prices given above for 

 feed, the pork would have cost 12.6 cents per pound. 



From this it should be quite evident what the signifi- 

 cance of large breeding stock is, even though market hogs 

 are sold to the best advantage when they weigh from 175 

 to 300 pounds. The reason that the gains are so expen- 

 sive with the average hog after nine months of age is be- 

 cause he is approaching maturity too rapidly. Under 

 such conditions the pig requires more for absolute main- 

 tenance because he is much heavier than he was previ- 

 ously, and from the curve indicating the total amount 



