News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-05-29
FARM AND GARDEN.
Experiments in Feeding Pigs, as Made by n
Western Agricultural College.

experiments IN Feed1nG Pigs, as Made by
| western Agricultural College.
Numbered with experiments of prac
tlcal interest made under the auspices
OF the Kansas State Agricultural College
and reported upon by Prof. E. M. Shell
ton are pig-feeding experiments. The
object of these was to ascertain how
much cold weather and exposure affect
flesh production in fattening pigs.
| In experiments made two seasons ago,
the ration of bran then fed in addition
to corn was found to be practically
worthless, hence in the experiments
under consideration corn only was en-
| ployed. In this last experiment, ten
pure-bred yearling Berkshires were en-
ployed; the lot was remarkably uniform
In appearance and their differences in
age in no case equaled one month
Five of these animals were fed in the
basement of warm stone barn, each
pig occupying separate pen. The re-
naming five were fed in pens in the
open yard without other protection than
that afforded by high board fence on
the north side of each pen. All of these
pigs were fed twice daily, at s a. m. and
4 p. M, and all were given water ad
libitatna. The feed in all cases was
shelled corn, carefully weighed at each
feeding, great care being exercised that
each animal had all it could eat without
waste. The pigs were weighed at
the beginning of the experiment and at
the end of each week.
The results of these experiments, be-
ginning Nov. 27 and continuing until
Feb. 5. period of ten weeks, were care
fully noted and reported upon. From
the tabulated report the principal re-
suits are shown in the following brief
statements.
a. In the warm barn 2, 2,9774 pounds of
corn gave 604 pounds of increase in the
weight of the pigs, while in the open yard
2,644 pounds of corn gave 499 pounds in
crease. or, in the exposed pens, the cost
of one pound of increase was almost 25
per cent. greater than the cost of one
pound of increase in the warm barn.
o. Besides giving less of ''total
gain and "gain per cent" in every pen
during every week of the experiment.,
the pigs fed outside gave much smaller
returns for food consumed, but this was
especially marked during the weeks of
lowest temperature. Thus during the
three weeks of greatest cold the pigs in
open yards required 1715, 1916 and
22.6 pounds of corn for each pound of
increase, while in the warm barn during
the same three weeks GIG, 7.32 and 4.72
pounds of corn respectively were ex-
pended for one pound of increase.
o. In this, as in the experiment made
two years ago, Prof. Shelton observed
that the quietest pigs, the best feeders,
suffered least from cold, at the best, and
gave the largest returns for feed con-
a The fluctuations in the weekly
gain were much greater in the pens in
the open yards, but whenever little gain
or positive loss was sustained an enor-
nous gain was made during the week
even though the temperature
continued low, as though the animals
were making determined effort to re-
cover lost ground.
o. The fluctuations in the total feed |
or in the amount of feed con-
sumed for each 100 pounds of live
weight, were not great in the different |
pens or in the different weeks of each
pen, although these fluctuations were
greatest in the "outside" pens, the !
smallest amount of feed being consumed
during the coolest weather. In the
weeks following those showing the least
gain in flesh or the greatest loss when
the largest increase was made, the in
crease in the amount of feed was incon- |
in some cases nothing.
Facts familiar to feeders of swine and |
in these experiments were:
First-As the pigs become fatter the
cost of producing q pound of gain in
creased, while the total increase made, /
the total corn consumed, and the corn |
for each 100 pounds of live |
weight of animal progressively dimin-
ished. Second-The pigs when consum-
ing the largest amount of feed give the |
largest increase for corn consumed, as
we'll as the largest total increase.
The experiments here considered
agree in results with the ones made by |
Prof. Shelton two years ago, and then,
unmistakably, that farmers and stock
men who fail to furnish swine with
proper protection against cold weather
must furnish food for the internal fires |
of the animal in shape Of food. Which |
heating apparatus is the cheapest Prof.
Shelton leaves to be decided by every |
one for himself. His experiments show
that 495 pounds Of corn were used in
keeping five pigs four weeks.