FISH MEAL AS A FEED FOE SWINE. 3 



FEEDING EXPERIMENTS WITH PIGS. 



Two feeding trials were conducted at the Bureau of Animal Indus- 

 try Experimental Farm, Beltsville, Md., to determine the value of 

 fish meal as a feed for pigs. 



1. COMPARISON OF FISH MEAL AND TANKAGE AS SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDS. 



The first experiment was conducted to determine the comparative 

 values of fish meal and tankage as supplements in a ration for grow- 

 ing and fattening pigs. The pigs used in this work were grade Berk- 

 shires, averaging 52.3 pounds per head when the experiment started. 

 They were as uniform in size, age, and breeding as it was possible 

 to obtain. 



The guaranteed analysis of the tankage was : 



Per cent. 



Protein__: 60 



Fat 8 



Phosphoric acid 8 



Crude fiber . __ 3 



The analysis of fish meal was : 



Water 6. 36 



Fat 15. 34 



Protein (N X 6.25) 57.31 



Ash 16. 52 



Undetermined , 4. 47 



The feeding period was divided into two parts: First, a growing 

 period of 112 days from weaning up to fattening age, starting Janu- 

 ary 19, 1915, and ending May 11, 1915 ; second, a fattening period of 

 about one month, starting May 11, 1915, and ending June 8, 1915. 

 The pigs at this date averaged a little more than 250 pounds and 

 were sold. During the first period the pigs were divided into two 

 lots of 8 and 4; during the second, or fattening, period they were 

 divided into three lots of 4. Details and results of the feeding are 

 given below. 



RESULTS DURING THE GROWING PERIOD. 



The pigs, which were all in good, thrifty, growing condition, 

 were about 3 months of age at the beginning of the experiment, 

 and in order to accustom them to their surroundings they were fed 

 in dry lot from the time they were weaned until the experiment 

 was begun. The pigs in both lots were so fed that all the feed, which 

 was in the form of a thin slop, was cleaned up at each feeding, 

 thereby insuring a sharp appetite at the next feeding time. There 

 was no trouble whatever in getting the pigs to eat the ration contain- 

 ing fish meal. 





