48 DEPARTMENT BULLETIN 1492, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
The reader is referred to Department Bulletin 1407 (4) for a more 
detailed explanation and discussion of the soft-pork problem and of 
the methods used in this cooperative study. 
Following are conclusions covering the experimental work reported 
in this bulletin (numbers are for convenient reference) : 
(1) Peanuts grazed or self- fed in dry lot with or without minerals 
to pigs starting at weights ranging from 85 to 114 pounds and mak- 
ing gains of approximately 40 pounds or more on that feed through a 
period of approximately eight weeks will not produce firm carcasses 
at the usual market weight of 200 to 225 pounds attained by subse- 
quent feeding of corn with tankage after the peanuts. Results have 
shown, in fact, that gain on corn with tankage up to approximately 
120 pounds, this maximum being produced during a feeding period 
of approximately 16 weeks' duration, following gains of 40 or more 
pounds on peanuts, usually will not produce hard or medium-hard 
hogs. As the gain on peanuts increases, the subsequent gain on corn 
with tankage necessary to produce a certain degree of firmness like- 
wise increases. 
In comparing the results from the pigs having initial weights of 
from 115 to 142 pounds with those from the lighter-weight pigs (re- 
ferred to above) it is apparent that it is fully as difficult to produce 
firm hogs from the former as from the latter. There is an indication, 
in fact, that the hardening progresses more slowly with the heavier 
pigs, the gains on peanuts having been equal. The results strongly 
suggest that if a practical plan of producing firm hogs under this 
system of feeding is to be developed it must make use of pigs weigh- 
ing less than 85 pounds at the beginning of the peanut feeding. 
(2) Soy beans grazed alone or with minerals self -fed to pigs 
starting at weights ranging from 85 to 160 pounds and making at 
least a moderate rate of gain through a period of from six to eight 
weeks will not produce firm carcasses in the usual case even though 
a subsequent gain in weight has been made by the pigs on corn with 
tankage double that previously made on soy beans. 
(3) Soy beans grazed with a supplementary ration of 2.5 per cent 
of shelled corn with or without minerals self-fed to pigs starting at 
weights ranging from 85 to 114 pounds and making gains of approxi- 
mately 20 to 60 pounds through a period of from six to eight weeks 
will not produce firm carcasses in the usual case even though a sub- 
sequent gain in weight has been made by the pigs on corn with tank- 
age equal to that previously made on the soy beans — 2.5 per cent corn 
ration. 
(4) Soy beans grazed with a supplementary ration of 2.5 per cent 
of shelled corn with or without minerals self-fed to pigs starting at 
weights of 115 pounds and over and making gains of approximately 
40 to 90 pounds through a period of from six to eight weeks will 
produce firm carcasses in the usual case provided a subsequent gain 
in weight is made on corn with tankage 1.5 times that previously 
made on the soy-bean — 2.5 per cent corn ration. 
(5) Soy beans grazed with a supplementary ration of 1.5 to 2.5 
per cent of shelled corn and with minerals self -fed to pigs starting 
at weights ranging from 25 to 85 pounds and making gains of approx- 
imately 40 to 75 pounds through a period of from 8 to 10 weeks 
