FEEDS FOR FATTENING 261 



corn grows best are the states in which most of the pork 

 is produced. 



Wheat middlings fed in a slop ration or tankage fed in 

 the same way will be found a valuable adjunct to corn for 

 pork production. Cottonseed meal should not be fed to 

 hogs. In the later stages of feeding, linseed meal also 

 softens the fat and should not be fed at that time. Bran 

 is too bulky for hog feeding. 



Pasture, Soiling, and Preparation of Feeds. — Pasture 

 is a help toward profitable hog fattening. Dry lot fat- 

 tening is often expensive. In the case of fattening in dry 

 lots it is a good thing to supply the animals with some 

 succulent feed in the form of soiling crops, such as peas, 

 beans, clover, or alfalfa. If grains Hke barley are soaked 

 at least twelve hours before feeding, better results are ob- 

 tained. As a rule little .preparation of corn is necessary. 

 The best way to feed corn is on the cob. During cold 

 weather slop should be warmed for hogs, but no feeds ex- 

 cept potatoes or pumpkins need be cooked for them. 



The Relation of Grain to Gain. — The general rule for 

 the relation of feed to gain is that one should allow a bushel 

 of corn for every ten pounds of pork produced. During 

 the fattening period, the hogs should be watched, and 

 .as soon as they cease to make gains they should be sold, 

 unless the market is poor. The feeder should study the 

 market and strive to sell when prices are high. During 

 winter feeding, hogs should have warm quarters, but even 

 then more com will be required to make a pound of gain 

 than in summer feeding. 



Feeding for Bacon Production. — In feeding for the pro- 

 duction of bacon, less corn is desired. The ration should 

 consist of feeds relatively low in carbohydrate and fat 



