Fattening for Market 409 



STANDARD FEEDS 



At the beginning of fattening average pigs are given 

 about four and one-half pounds of feed for each 100 

 pounds of live weight. This is increased until within a 

 week the pigs are receiving all they will clean up in thirty 

 minutes. If they are to be fed on the self-feeder, a little 

 larger increase is given before turning them to the feeder. 



The basis of the fattening ration must in all cases be one 

 of the cereals. As proven by many tests at the Oregon 

 Experiment Station, corn, wheat, and barley have about 

 the same feeding value, pound for pound. The choice 

 between these must, therefore, be determined by their 

 cost, the preference always being for the one that can 

 be grown or purchased the cheapest. Speltz, emmer, 

 kafir, and milo maize are suitable for fattening, but should 

 be supplemented a little more liberally with protein feeds 

 than corn, wheat, or barley, and even then not quite as 

 good gains will be secured with a given quantity of feed. 

 When purchased, these grains should be procured at one- 

 fifth to one-fourth less a ton than wheat. Oats, rye, and 

 speltz should only be fed with other cereals and supple- 

 mented with protein feeds. A grain ration consisting of 

 one-third oats or speltz and two-thirds wheat, barley, or 

 corn may be expected to yield practically as much gain 

 as a ration of wheat or barley alone, providing that in 

 each case they are properly supplemented. Rye gives 

 better results in connection with oats or barley than with 

 wheat or corn. If rye is cheaper in price than barley, 

 one-third of the grain ration may be rye. 



Canada field peas are adapted to much of the semi- 

 arid regions lying either side of the Rockies. Any quan- 

 tity of pea-meal up to two-thirds of the ration will save 



