538 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



ration of one-fourth cottonseed meal 

 and three-fourths corn meal for 45 days 

 without apparent injury and gained on 

 the average 2 pounds a head daily. On 

 this ration it required but 3.16 pounds 

 of the mixed grain to produce a pound 

 of gain, while on corn meal other like 

 hogs required 7.3 pounds to produce a 

 pound of gain. Following this experi- 

 ment some scrub pigs that had made 

 poor gains on such feeds as corn meal 

 and wheat were fed rations of one-fourth 

 to one-half cottonseed meal and corn; 

 the pigs weighed 40 to 50 pounds each; 

 they made rapid gains from the first on 

 these feeds. With the smaller amount 

 of cottonseed meal they required but 3 

 pounds of mixed grain to produce a 

 pound of gain, and with the larger 

 amount but 2.6 pounds of the mixed 

 grain for a pound of gain. They com- 

 menced dying off after feeding 25 days 

 while still gaining rapidly. The con- 

 clusion is drawn from these experiments 

 that "cottonseed meal produces very 

 rapid gains with both pigs and large 

 hogs, and if the feed is changed before 

 symptoms of disease appear, hogs can 

 be fed cottonseed meal for a short time 

 with the best results." In a later report 

 by the station it is stated that it is now 

 the practice to begin by feeding one- 

 fourth pound cottonseed meal per day to 

 each 100 pounds of live weight. This is 

 gradually increased to 3 pounds per 100 

 pounds of live weight at the end of 10 

 days. The meal is mixed with other 

 grain and may be profitably fed three or 

 four weeks. 



Experiments with cottonseed meal at 

 the Oklahoma station indicate that when 

 it is properly fed it is an exceedingly 

 valuable feeding stuff for hogs. In one 

 experiment 17 shotes were fed for 67 

 days, on 46 of which the grain ration 

 consisted of four-fifths kafir corn and 

 one-fifth cottonseed meal. All lived and 

 made good gains. Part of them were 

 then fed 47 days longer on the same ra- 

 tion ; one died at the end of 21 days ; the 

 remainder lived and were sold at the 

 end of the feeding period as fat hogs. 

 That station now recommends that not 

 more than one-fifth the grain ration fed 

 to hogs be made up of cottonseed meal 

 and that a rather light grain ration be 

 fed. It is believed that pigs running 

 on green range and given a light grain 

 ration consisting of one-tenth to one- 

 fifth cottonseed meal can be fed for an 

 indefinite time. "After feeding the ra- 



tion two or three weeks, drop the cotton- 

 seed meal for two or three weeks, after 

 which return to the cottonseed mixture 

 for a like duration, to be followed by the 

 omission of the cottonseed as before." 



As a result of extensive experiments 

 in feeding cottonseed products to hogs 

 at the Arkansas station, Dinwiddie states 

 that in small amounts cottonseed meal 

 may be fed indefinitely to hogs and in 

 larger amounts for a limited period only 

 without inducing poisonous symptoms. 

 The amount to feed daily depends on the 

 age and weight of the hogs. He gives 

 the following amounts which may be fed 

 with safety to pigs of different ages : 



Pigs under 50 pounds, x /± pound per 

 day; pigs from 50 to 75 pounds, 1-3 

 pound per day; pigs from 75 to 100 

 pounds, 2-5 pound per day; pigs from 

 100 to 150 pounds, V2 pound per day. 



If fed a full grain ration, one-eighth 

 of the ration for 50-pound pigs may con- 

 sist of cottonseed meal ; one-seventh for 

 pigs weighing from 50 to 75 pounds; 

 one-sixth for pigs weighing from 75 to 

 100 pounds; and one-fifth for pigs 

 weighing from 100 to 150 pounds. 



"A meal ration containing cottonseed 

 meal should also contain at least an 

 equal amount of wheat bran to supply 

 bulk." The cottonseed meal should be 

 used simply as an adjunct and to balance 

 a highly carbonaceous ration like corn or 

 corn meal. "In the amount prescribed 

 above cottonseed meal may be fed in- 

 definitely as to time, just as any other 

 food." This station did not find that 

 cottonseed meal had any especially in- 

 jurious effect on breeding stock inde- 

 pendent of its general poisonous effect. 

 Chopped cottonseed may be used in the 

 same manner as recommended for cot- 

 tonseed meal above. "Cottonseed and 

 corn make probably the best combina- 

 tion, about 1 :6 or more if on full feed, 

 or 1 :3, 4 or 5 if on short allowance of 

 grain." 



"Cottonseed hulls are not toxic for hogs. 

 They are only available for hog feed 

 when ground into bran, and at the prices 

 charged this cotton hull bran is unprofit- 

 able. Cottonseed feed should also be 

 avoided. Crude cotton oil, when fed 

 apart from the kernels, has not occa- 

 sioned symptoms such as we have found 

 in cottonseed meal poisoning, although 

 in the quantities fed (3 to 4 ounces per 

 day) it seemed to act harmfully, giving 

 rise to unthriftiness and possibly even 

 death." 



