The Savannah morning news., 1904-08-22
whole or Grown Corn for Hogs.

A correspondent wishes to know
which is the most profitable for hog
feeding. whole shelled corn or corn
meal" and the subject is certainly of
general interest, writes A. S. Alexander
in Farmers Review. The prevailing
idea among farmers is that corn meal
gives the best results i'm swine feeding,
for they note that their pigs grow fast
est when eating corn meal. Few, how
ever, are in a position to say how
much corn meal is ahead of shelled
corn for production of gains, and few
take note of the fact that while hogs
are apparently making big gains from
corn meal consumption, they are eat
ing more of that food than they would
of unground corn. Perhaps were they
TO keep track of the comparative
amounts of food of the two varieties
! consumed they would change their
opinion of the profit to be gained from
| grinding corn. Prof. Henry of the Wis
/ consin Agricultural Experiment Sta
! ton has tested this matter for seven
! years, and from the sum of his eXpe-
! rience concludes that grinding corn
! saves per cent. as compared with
/ the feeding of whole shelled corn. He
| has not, however. proved what advan-
] -
and suggests that this subject should
be experimental with at the stations.
1t is quite possible that the mere soak
ing Of shelled corn may render that
| food equally digestive when compared
| with ground corn. and so do away
with the per cent. advantage to be
derived from grinding. When per
cent. saving is certainly worth striv-
| ing for. there is the cost of grinding
] he taken into account and this
+, factor did not enter into consideration
In Prof. Henry's work. Some farmers
can doubtless grind corn cheaply by
wind or horse power while others, not
| equally fortunate in the matter of
machinery or facilities for power. have
to go TO the grist mill and pay a price
for grinding that may show plainly
that corn meal is much more expensive
! than shelled corn. Certainly, II the cost
of grinding exceeds per cent. OF the
value Of the corn. including the cost OF
! going to and from the mill, then
I grinding cannot be done very cheaply-
at less than per cent. of the value Of
whole corn-it may pay 10 substitute
meal Tor whole corn. In this connec-
ton IL should be understood that the
experiments carried out by Prof Henry
were not made with the clear meal or
corn. He found from experience that
hogs could not long be fed safely on
corn or corn meal alone. hence
throughout his experiments these foods
were fed In conjunction with middlings.
To one lot was given "a ration consist
ing OF corn meal and heavy wheat mid
Ing OF corn meal and heavy wheat
middlinEs The mlddlings were made
into slop by the addition OF warm wa
ter and first fed 10 the hogs. when this
material was consumed dry sheled
corn was next placed Ia the trough, or.
900 some Instance. scattered on the
feeding floor For the lot fed corn meal
and meal and middlings were mixed to-
gcther and warm water added 20 make
thick alop which was fed BOO "a
trough The animals were fed twice
daily. The advantage in adding mid
dlIuFs 90 me ration 10 that carrying
as they do much protein and mineral
matter they tend 10 balance the ration
OF corn, which 10 excessively rich Goa
J starch ahd Oh AL Of the hoge were