The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1882-06-01
THE FARM
A Pia-feediae Experimest.

Inc 00<e1S Oh OecemUox losus Co"-
tanned an account Of the pig-feeding
experiment made ut the Kansas Agfi-
cultural College, by Prof. Shelton, TO
ascertain something Of the effects Of
cold on fatteRing swine. Following
I take pleasure In presenting your
readers with the details Of another
Kansas experiment, just made BY
Messrs. Hopkins Bros., Of College Hill,
near Manhattan, to ascertain which
one of such rations % were ut COM
mand was best for fattening purposes
when fed to young and vigorous
shoats. For this they selected, on
February sth, six pigs about six
months old, that were In fair grow
ing condition and for two months pre-
vi0us had been kept in corral ON
kitchen slops, with some bran, oil.
meal and q little corn. All we're sired
by q thoroughbred Berkshire boar;
three were Of SOW half Berkshire
and half Essex, and three from . SOW
largely of Poland-China blood; two
were of the Essex type and solid
black two would have readily passed
for pure Berkshires and the other
two were of Poland China type, but
with very little white and upright
ears. They weighed 81 pounds; were
put in q comfortable rooted and
fioored pen, and during the sixty-one
days that the experiment continued
the weather was mostly pleasant, with
no severe storms. Corn WAS fed
worth seventy cents per bushel; corn
chop worth SIS per cwt-; shipstuff
Ia fine and heavy quality Of wheat
bran) worth Sl.W per cwt. During
the first period Of sixteen days, at the
beginning of which their average
weight was liz pounds each, they
were fed on mixture Of four parts
by weight of corn chop (c0arse corn-
meal four parts shipstuff and one
part oilmeaI, that had all been scalded
with boiling water, allowed to stand
until the next meal, then thinned
into q slop and fed warm. OF this
they ate an average Of forty pounds
(dry weight per day average gain
of each per pay q 1-6 ounces cost Of
increase per 100 pounds, $4.79.
During the second period Of fifteen
days, at the beginning of which their |
weight was l39 lbs, they were fed on |
two parts corn chop and one part
shipstuf moistened with cold water |
~ titiiS VI sSVuhnSs VI tnaS eucy otS
an average of IS lbs. per day average
gain Of each per day 34S OF. cost Of |
weight per 100 lbs, $4.S.
During the last period of thirty days
ut the beginning of which they
weighed 172 lbs. each, they were fed
ON shelled corn, soaked one day, and
ate an average of 81 lbs. average gain
Of each per day l94 or. cost Of in |
crease per 100 lbs, E.45. During the
first period there was about four gal
Ions of mostly sweet skinned milk |
used per day in mixing the slOp; du-
ring the second period about the same
quantity was given them per day as |
drink during the latter period they |
were given perhaps gal |
lon per day with the dish water, and
none ut all.
At the end of the experiment the |
average weight of the pigs was 20St lbs. |
each the two of the Essex type
were very fat. but short, and APP
peared the smallest; the two of the |
Poland-C China type were tall and long, |
but had not thickened up well the /
two Of the Berkshire type were thick,
square, solid, and beyond doubt the
heaviest of the lot" One pig of the
type was barrow, and
Inc Others were all open sOws. When
soaked corn alone WAS fed the in
,rease i'm weight was mt the high rate
IF IL lbs. per bushel, and yet the cost
If that Increase was Sl.lS per cent
more than when made with the chop
md shipstuff.
Among their conclusions, drawn
rom previous experience, and con-
irnled by this experiment, are that
he first ration was too bulky and
too much water and ship
turf; while the pigs would eat of il
Until i'm misery, they could not digest
nough of il to make the most rapid
Increase; that the second ration
would have been improved by leaving
nut half the shipstuff and supplying
Is place with Oilmeal. They say" 1t
hows that high-priced feed can be
made into high-priced meat ut a
,reater profit than cheap feed can be
made into cheap meat. These pigs
we're worth $i.S4 per cwt when We
feeding them; the in
'reassd weight cost $4.S4 per cwt.,
md they sold for 81, Is per cwt." In
answer to my question rs to whether
rom their experience as farmers and
eeders, they had formed any definite
as to whether any one
,reed of swine was superior to all
'thers for the Western farmer, the
Nessrs. Hopkins write: THE state
nent given you above will indicate
Ome OF our reasons for preferring the
Berkshire TO any other breed. With
Is they are gentle and easily re-
trained; two fencing boards with
wires above form their pasture fence (;
Il the same time they are wide-awake
md ready for their ratiOns, whether
# niush and milk or prairie grass and
drunken corn, while as things Of
,eauty' they will certainly compare
avorably with those Ofany competing
reeds. We have decided to raise
,ure Berkshires only for the pork
They further say that
While this experiment was not as ex-
ended as they could wish, and by no
means conclusive, 1t satisfies them of
rhat they have long maintained, viz:
that corn alone is not the most eco
omicdl. nedt-producing food" |
I regard their statement rs of con-
value, because it was In the
light direction, made by painstaking
nen I'm pursuit of knowledge, and
rho have no axes to grind or fancy
,igs to sell, Tor which they seek free
through your columns.
: Topeka Correspondent Of the Breed
cy's (,O-cffe