Feeding Expeeiments. 29 



Deductions from Finishing Period. — The increased age of the 

 various lots in the finishing "period would naturally be conducive 

 toward less gains per day and at a greater cost. This is demonstrated 

 in lot 1, which in both the experimental and the finishing period 

 received the same ration. 



Lot 1 in the experimental period showed an average gain of 1 . 05 

 pound per pig per day and only • 57 pound per pig per day in the 

 finishing period. This lot stood highest in the experimental period 

 for greatest daily gains, but stood lowest in the finishing period 

 for daily gains. It would appear natural that the other five lots, 

 which received much poorer rations in the experimental period, 

 would respond more readily to a finishing period than would lot 1. 

 One Yorkshire barrow died suddenly at the commencement of the 

 fourth week of the finishing period. This animal had not shown 

 any gains from the commencement of this period. Evidently the 

 trouble was with the individual, as all the other animals in this lot 

 made fairly satisfactory gains throughout the finishing period. 



Lot 2 made greater gains, but at somewhat greater cost per 

 pound gain, on the good feed of the finishing period. 



Lot 3 made over six times the daily gain, and at only three-fifths 

 the cost, on the superior feed of the finishing period. 



Lot 4 made less gains, and at a much greater cost, on the finishing 

 period. The actual palatability and balance of the ration of lot 4 

 on the experimental period was apparently about as good as lot 1 

 on the same period or lot 4 on the finishing period, hence the similarity 

 to lot 1 in the results of the change of feed. 



Lot 6 made one-half greater gains, and at only a slightly greater 

 cost, on the superior feed of the finishing period. 



Lot 6 showed the most marked change of any. The most 

 rapid gains of the whole experiment were made by lot 6 when changed 

 from the ration of blackseeds and water in the experimental period 

 to the standard meal mixture and water in the finishing period. 

 The cost of gains was also materially lowered in the finishing period. 

 Attention is drawn to the fact that because of this rapid change when 

 the animals are placed on good feed after a stunting period it is not 

 a good practice, as the animals lost forty-two days of gains before 

 they started to increase in weight and produce profitably. 



LAMBS. 



In the fall of 19l4, eighty ewe and wether lambs of grade breeding 

 and uniform size were purchased and were dipped a few days after 

 their arrival, and together with the pure-bred lambs of the Farm 

 flock were divided into six lots for experimental feeding. 



Object of Experiment. — 1. To illustrate the value of a well- 

 balanced grain ration in lamb fattening work. 



2. To compare this with elevator screenings. 



3. To determine the value of elevator screenings alone. 



4. To determine the value of elevator screenings less black 

 seeds. 



