The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-02-16
PIG FEEDING BULLETIN.
Result Of Experiments by Prot.
French and G. D. Thompson
on the O. A. G. Farm.

Bulletin NO. 20, lSsueo ny Guo OAS6oA
agricultural experiment station, is now ready [
for distribution. 1t contains much valuable |
information on the subject of pig-feedlng
and every farmer interested in fattenlng
hogs should have one. During the past two
years two experiments have been conducted
to determine first whether the best results
could be attained in feeding clear grain or
mixture, while the second dealt with the
subject OF wet and dry foods. Prof. French
is of the opinion that corn will be one of the
chief foods for fattening since wherever 1T
can be grown successfully, but in many por'
tions of this state it's growth and maturity
is materially hindered by climatic condi-
items. The result OF his first experiment is
such as to dispel all doubts from the minds
of those who have thought that wheat could
not be made to produce, equal in quality to
corn-fed pork. From the cuts made from
photographs, which appear in this bulletin
it will be seen that the fat is very heavy
and thick, and, although not shown by the
cuts it is very firm in texture. The lean
meat was very juicy and light in color,
which characteristic has marked all of the
results In feeding wheat to pigs, thus far
carried on at the station. In the rate of gain
produced, the results will compare favorably
| with those obtained from feeding corn, The
pigs used in the first experiment were taken
| from litter of nine. Two pigs were placed
| in one pen and fed on chopped wheat; the
| other two put in another pen and fed on a
| mixture of chopped oats. They were fed
| for sixteen weeks and complete record
| kept of the amount of grain consumed and
increase in weight each week Chopped
| grain to the amount of 24471 pounds at cost
| of Sl9.l IA were fed to the first lot during
this period being 80 cents for each pound
gain in live weight. Two Thousand three
hundred and twenty-five pounds of the
mi ixture costing the same as lot one-Sl9. Al
was consumed by lot two making a cost of
4.66 cents for each pound gained in live
weight. During eleven months the average
gain per pig in lot one was 24S1 pounds,
while in lot two, the gain was POS pounds.
After butchering, the pigs were hung up
for twenty four hours when the per cent. of
shrinkage was thirteen in lot one and fifteen
in lot two.
In the other experiment four well-bred
pigs about four weeks old were taken from
the same litter and two placed in each pen
as in the experiments spoken of above.
Those in pen No. l were fed chopped whe at
oats, bran and shorts, with fresh water in q
| . fo6
the same kind of food and under exactly
the same conditions as those in pen No. l.
except that each ration was thoroughly wet
with cold water. Each lot were given al
they would eat, without leaving the food tt
stand in the trough too huch. They were
fed at o'clock in the morning and at 5 II
the evening. These hours of feeding were
strictly adhered to, as it was believed tina
. the best results in feeding any kind of stoci
can be realized only where regularity in thu
, feeding and care of the animals prevails
, 1t was found it required AGA pounds Of dry
q shorts to make pound of gain, while th'
= same result was obtained from A. 46 pound
of the wet shorts. While these expert
! ments were being carried on wheat sole
, from As to 60 cents per bushel. Lard re
, tailed from Is to I'll cents per pound
j. | Twelve pounds of gain in live weight wer
| produced from each bushel of wheat. III
cost per pound of gain in pen No. was 3.
cents and in pen No. SO cents, thu
showing that better results are obtained
from wet feed. The pork sold for cent
gross, but with the small per cent. Q
= shrinkage the profits were materially in
creased by slaughtering and selling at 6
cents. The experiments also proved tina
much Is to be gained by early maturity; tn
pigs slaughtered when 81 months oil
weighed 3O6.s pounds. The bulletin is il
lustrated and can be had free on applica
ton.
: Miss Nellie and Harry Hogue spent Tues