MAIZE GRAIN AS FOOD yog 



again mix thoroughly. Put this mixture into the self-feeding chap. 

 boxes, and place them where hogs of all ages can eat of their XIV - 

 contents at pleasure." 



666. Maize Meal. — Maize meal is a somewhat heavy, rich 

 food, which is apt to induce indigestion and other troubles if 

 fed alone. " It should always be lightened or extended by the 

 use of bran, shorts, oil meal, or some other feed of light char- 

 acter ... in which case the dangers incident to its use are 

 usually overcome." The dry meal is unpalatable, and should 

 be soaked with water before feeding [Henry, I). 



Whether meal or whole grain should be fed appears to 

 hinge on cost of grinding. Henry (i) concludes: — 



"Whether corn should be fed whole or as meal, depends 

 upon circumstances. If the kernels are so hard as to cause 

 sore mouths, thereby preventing easy mastication, the grain 

 should be ground. If no trouble arises from this source, the 

 utility of grinding hinges on the relative cost of grain and 

 grinding. We have seen that some grain is saved by reduction 

 to meal, and the feeder can easily estimate whether he should 

 incur the extra expense of grinding. Where grinding is not 

 possible, hard corn may be prepared for feeding by soaking 

 the grains." 



For Dairy Cows. — The Maine Station {Rep. 1895) tested 

 maize meal for dairy cows, as compared with wheat meal. 

 Making allowance for normal decrease in milk-flow with the 

 lengthening of the lactation period, the results were practic- 

 ally equal. 



For Bullocks. — Trials at the Experiment Stations of the 

 United States show that maize meal gives larger gains with 

 steers than the same weight of unground grain. It is probable 

 also that meal permits of a higher " finish " with steers than 

 unground maize. But practical experience and studies by the 

 Stations show that pigs following steers fed on maize meal got 

 very little from the droppings; not because such droppings 

 are without nutriment, but rather because the meal in the 

 droppings is in a form which cannot be utilized by the pig. 

 Henry, therefore, concludes that where maize is cheap, and 

 there is a demand for pork, the western custom of feeding 

 maize whole to steers, with lively shotes following, is the most 

 economical, all things considered, if rational!} 7 practised. 



