Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-08-15
FARM AND GARDEN.
RESULTS OF SCIENTIFIC AGRICUL-
TURAL EXPERIMENTS.
A Series of Experiments on the Feeding OF
Hogs-What is the Best Food for
Making Fat and How Used.

The following is summary of
experiments made by the Illinois En-
pertinent station at Champaign during
the years 1883, 1889, 1899:
In eight trails in which corn only
was fed, aside from salt and coal slack,
pigs varying in average weight from
10 to 290 pounds and kept in pens or
small lots without grass, gained at the
rate of from 1916 to 14.I3 pounds per
bushel, So pounds shelled corn, the
average gain being 1886 pounds. The
rate OF gain for food eaten, and the
food eaten in proportion to weight de-
creased after four to six weeks feeding
with corn only. The corn eaten per
day varied from 3.41 pounds eaten by
pigs averaging 65.5S pounds to l0.7l
pounds, eaten by pigs weighing 3ll
pounds. The corn eaten per day per
100 pounds live weight varied from 95
pounds eaten by pigs fed 81 days and
averaging 207 in weight, to 5. 10 pounds
eaten by pigs averaging 65.5S pounds.
In one case in the fourth week OF pen
feeding two pigs gained 3.21 pounds
each per day-at the rate of 1851
pounds per bushel of corn. This was
the greatest gain per day and was also
the best rate of gain in any trial.
There seemed to be no constant rela-
tiOn between the weight of the pigs
or the season of the year, and the food
eaten or the gains made.
In four trials, pigs fed all they would
eat of shelled corn with blue grass pas
ture and 4,2l6.5 pounds of corn and
gained sos pounds, which was at the
rate of l2O4 pounds gain per bushel OF
corn. Pigs under like conditions,
except that they were fed but half as
much corn, ate 2,l90 pounds of corn
and gained sos pounds, which was at
the rate of 1898 pounds per bushel.
Pigs in dry lots fed shelled corn ate
4,2O7 pounds of corn and gained $50 IS
pounds, which was ut the rate of 1852
pounds per bushel.
After periods varying from six to
nine weeks, the pigs which had been
fed a half ration of corn on pasture,
were given full feed of corn, the
others being fed as before. In three
trials lasting four or five weeks each,
the pigs which had had full feed of
corn throughout ate 1,796 pounds of
corn and gained 800 pounds, which was
at the rate of 10.l pounds per bushel.
Those which had been fed half feed
of corn in the first part of the trials ate
1000 pounds of corn in the second
gained 1929 pounds, which was at the
rate of l2.5 pounds per bushel. Those
fed corn only ate 1,624.5 pounds, OF
| corn and gained 224 pounds, which was
at the rate of 7.44 pounds per bushel.
In two trials pigs fed soaked corn ate
more and gained more than those fed
dry corn. In one trial they gained
more and in one less in proportion tC
food eaten than those led dry corn
The differences were not great in either
case.
Two pigs in II two-acre pasture il,
which three yearling steers were fec
corn gained in "a weeks 1876 pounds
In neither case was the gain large
In each case the pigs ut the close of the
trial were in good condition for full
feeding and made large gains when Sc
fed.
a trial of apple pomace as food fol
| pigs resulted unsatisfactory. The
pomace kept well; chemical analysis %
it showed an apparently good compost
tion for feeding purposes; but the pig.
ate very little of the pomace.