The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-03-14
Experiments in Pig Feeding.

AT the Wisconsin experiment station
which is at the agricultural college
farm, experiments have recently been
made in feeding meal and milk to pigs,
which has brought out some valuable
facts The milk fed was that from which
all the cream had been taken but was
still sweet. The first experiment was
in feeding milk and meal separately.
The pigs were Poland-C hinas, two in
each lot, about three months old. Lot
one received all the milk they could con-
sumo for twenty-five days. They ate l.
100 pounds and gained 500 pounds in
weight. twenty-five pounds of milk to
one pound of gain. Lot two ate 1859
pounds of meal and gained 522 pounds,
four pounds of meal to one pound of
gain. A second trial was given. The
feed was reversed, and after a week to
allow them to become accustomed to
the change they were fed, lot one with
meal and lot two with milk. all they
would eat. Lot one ate 253 pounds of
meal and gained 619 pounds, four and
one-eighth pounds of meal to one of
gain. Lot two ate 1,264 pounds of milk
and gained SO pounds, Is pounds of
milk 10 one OF gain.
In these trials with young growing
pigs, allowing five cents per pound for
live weight, the meal fed alone was
worth $125 per 100 pounds;
| and milk fed alone was worth TWEEN
ty-six cents per 100 pounds. The sec
ond experiment was in feeding milk and
meal together.
Two other lots of the same kind and
about the same age were
fed. Lot one was fed according to
the German feeding standards or
certain proportions of flesh-forming
foods and carbohydrates. This requir-
ed that IA pounds of milk and 81 pounds
of meal be fed for each 100 pounds live
weight. In this case 77s pounds of
meal and 403 pounds of milk made a
gain of SO pounds, or it required $50
| pounds of meal and $50 pounds of milk
for 100 pounds gain, Counting meal at
81 per 100 pounds and pork So per 100,
milk fed in this way would be worth "a
/ cents per 100 pounds. Lot'two were
/ fed with an excess of milk, % pounds to
I q pounds Of meal. With this mixture
it took $50 pounds of milk and 90
| pounds of meal for 100 pounds gain.
/ Milk in this case is worth 40 cents per
100 pounds.
| A third lotwere fed an excess of car
| bO-hydrates or 81 pounds of meal and 8
pounds of milk daily per 100 pounds
T live weight. With this feed it took 200
pounds of meal and $50 pounds of milk
for 100 pounds of gain, milk worth so.
cents per 100 pounds Lot four received
/ all the corn meal soaked, until slightly.
sour, that could be eaten, and took 500
pounds of meal for 100 pounds of gain
or the meal was worth 81 per hundred,
its estimated value in the other trials.
Another experiment was tried with
older lean pigs, two lots in which the
| gain was best with the larger proportion
| of meal
These results show, first, that neither
meal nor milk are best fed alone, and,
second, that for increase in weight in
pigs, at least for short period, that an
excess of the proportion of the fat for
mers of SO per cent above that
of the German feeding standard pro-
duced the best results, and this in warm
weather, too. The experiments do not
show, however, that if the feeding of
| young pigs with an excess of carbo-hy-
drates were continued they would still
increase faster than with the standard
ration. The pig will gain faster when
| laying on fat than when growing, and
the extra meal fed would tend to produce
| Just this effect, But it is not always
best to fat the pig too fast while young,
but to get growth and add fat after
Second, it does not positively, that
skim milk is worth 80 cents per hun
dred, or 81 cents per hundred, because
the true value of the meal is more than
81 per hundred. When fed alone meal
was worth $1.25, and is entitled to
portion of the increased gain when fed
with milk. Milk fed alone was worth
26 cents per hundred, and we might in
this way demonstrate that meal was
worth twice its cost Lot three, second
experiment, ate $50 pounds of milk and
200 pounds of meal for 100 pounds
gain; $50 pounds of milk at 26 cents
per hundred, sc cents, leaving the meal
worth $2.07 per hundred. 1t is there
| fore impossible to figure the true value
of the milk at go cents. A fairer and
nearer estimate would be at 60 cents,
and it is fair to infer from these expert
ments that sweet skim milk.when fed
to pigs in connection with meal is worth
from 80 to 6Ocents per hundred pounds,
and is therefore valuable source of
profit from the dairy and one that is
used to but small account among far
mers generally, If it could always be
used DrOfitablV il would nearly nav for
keeping the cow, leaving the butter pro-
duced almost clear profit Exchange.