THE FEEDING OF SWINE 483 



During the cold winter season, swine often fail to drink suffi- 

 cient water to meet their needs. This often seriously in- 

 terferes with their fattening. To avoid this diflficulty, they 

 should be encouraged to drink water. That contained in 

 skim-milk, slop, or other succulence is not sufficient. When it 

 is at all possible, the chill should be taken off before the water 

 is offered the animals. Swine compelled to eat snow or lick ice 

 to get water will surely fail to fatten profitably. The importance 

 of this cannot be overestimated, for in addition to not gaining 

 rapidly the system becomes weakened and the animals contract 

 diseases more readily. 



Feeding the bacon-hog 



In the production of bacon, the foods must differ from those 

 used in feeding the fat-hog. In some cases the same food 

 stuffs may be used in part, but the mixture must be varied. 

 Corn, the mainstay in the production of the fat-hog, can- 

 not be used with success in larger proportions than one-third 

 of the grain ration. A larger proportion is likely to produce 

 an undesirable quality of bacon. The foods very largely used 

 are shorts, oats, peas, barley, and skim-milk. Barley is perhaps 

 the food most used, especially in Canada, where bacon production 

 finds much favor. It is often fed ground or soaked. Usually 

 it is fed in connection with small amounts of other food, as peas, 

 oil meal, finely ground oats, tankage, and the like. Peas are 

 used to a considerable extent in the production of bacon in 

 Canada. "Canada pea-fed bacon" has good market repu- 

 tation. Among some large bacon feeders, however, peas are not 

 held in high estimation, the statement being made that they give 

 dry, rather hard, and flavorless bacon. Oats are often objected 

 to because of their hulls, which contain little nutrition and 

 much crude fiber; yet when the price is low, they are extensively 

 used. Crushing the oats is considered the best method of 

 preparation. 



