CHAPTER XXVIII. 

 FATTENING. 



MANY of the problems connected with the fattening of 

 hogs have already been discussed under experiment station 

 work. Corn may be used much more freely for fattening hogs 

 than for those intended for breeding, but experiments show 

 conclusively that corn has its limitations, even for fattening, 

 and that it is greatly improved by having some feed -richer in 

 protein combined with it. The importance of using some 

 sort of supplementary feed with almost any meal ration in order 

 to give bulk and variety has also been demonstrated, and the 

 important place which pasture may play in the fattening of 

 hogs has been quite fully dealt with. There are a few general 

 facts of more or less importance remaining to be given under 

 this heading. 



Winter Feeding. Generally speaking, winter feeding is 

 more expensive than summer feeding. Part of the extra feed 

 required in winter is probably due to the fact that more feed 

 is required to keep up the heat of the body during cold weather. 

 There is little doubt, however, that much of the advantage of 

 summer feeding is due to more sanitary surroundings, that is, 

 more fresh air and out-door exercise, coupled with more suc- 

 culent feed, which seems to aid digestion. The man who feeds 

 hogs in winter, therefore, should aim to approach summer con- 

 ditions as nearly as possible. He cannot get summer tem- 

 perature, it is true, but he can provide a fair amount of fresh 

 air, and feeds that will keep the digestive organs in good 

 condition. It is just here that the man who grows a few roots 



(243) 



