FEEDING FOR MEAT ' 381 



the increase of pigs while fattening has the following com- 

 position: 



Water Dry substance Ash Protein Fat 



Per cent Per cent Per cent Per cent Per cent 



22 78 .10 6.4 71.5 



According to these figures the protein storage, with 

 1.5 pounds daily gain, would be only .10 pound and the 

 fat 1.07 pounds. 



474. Food requirements for pork production. — ^Under 

 a system of intensive production pigs go to market so 

 young that we may properly discuss their feeding from 

 birth. We deal first with the mother as a milch animal. 

 According to observations by Henry, in an inquiry as to 

 the yield and composition of sow's milk, it seems probable 

 that in proportion to their weight small sows yield as 

 large a quantity of milk solids daily as a good cow. The 

 average daily production of milk solids of one animal 

 appeared to be about one pound. This would be four 

 pounds for foiu* sows, which is the equivalent of the solids 

 in over thirty poimds of cow's milk of average quality. 

 It follows, therefore, that the demands upon the food for 

 milk formation are proportionally as heavy with swine 

 as with cows, and consequently the ration should be one 

 that will stimulate and sustain abundant milk secretion. 

 Such feeding is not only necessary, but economical, for 

 independent experiments indicate that the food cost of 

 the growth of pigs before weaning is no greater than it is 

 after weaning. 



Skimmed milk or buttermilk combined with a mixture 

 of wheat middlings and any of the ground cereal grains, 

 barley, oats, or corn, cannot be improved upon as food 

 for milch sows. The supply of protein should be liberal. 

 The feeding should be quite up to the limits of capacity, 



