AUTHOR'S METHOD OF FEEDING 181 



ground feed in the form of slop, he does not masticate it, 

 but simply swallows it. If ground corn then is fed, and if 

 it is not ground into fine meal, the pig will simply get 

 the particles of corn into his stomach, which cannot be as 

 readily or as thoroughly digested as would be the case if 

 it were finely ground. The pig, in masticating his own 

 grain, will usually reduce it to a fine meal. Thus if grain 

 is to be ground, it should be ground finely. 



Effect on the Distribution of Protein. In general the 

 results seem to indicate that ground grain produces 

 slightly better results than whole grain. As already 

 stated, one of the principal reasons for this is that when 

 ground grain is fed in the form of slop, the protein part 

 of the ration, which under such conditions is mixed with 

 these, is more evenly distributed. 



Effect on Palatability. This is another consideration 

 which should be taken up in connection with the feeding 

 of ground and whole grain. As already pointed out, the 

 pig during the early part of his life, or under five or six 

 months of age, can eat and also digest more than he can 

 properly assimilate. Later in life, or after six months of 

 age, the difficulty is that he does not eat enough, or as 

 much as he can digest and assimilate to the best advan- 

 tage. The method, then, according to which grains are 

 prepared has considerable influence on the amount of feed 

 that may be eaten. This apparently has a greater influ- 

 ence than the fact that such grain has been ground or not 

 ground. Another influence exerted by the grinding of 

 corn, then, as well as of other grains, is in rendering it 

 more or less palatable. 



Any form in which grain can be fed so that the pig 

 will eat more nearly the right quantity, in accordance 

 with that which he can use to the best advantage, will 



