Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1907-04-19
Agricultural.
Fattening Experiments.

Prof. K. A Barnett, of tho Nebras-
ka Experiment Station, reports in bull
letin an interesting experiment in fat
tening pigs on corn and tankage. The
value Of animal byproducts as feeding
stuffs and the effect of different rations
on the strength of bones was studied.
A lot of six pigs fed on soaked corn
for eight weeks made an average gain
of 116 pounds per head at cost of
3.76 cents a pound, and required B y
pounds of feed per pound of gain.
A similar lot of seven pigs fed on
soaked corn with 5 per cent. tankage
made daily gain of LA pounds per
head at cost Of 3.55 cents pound and
required So pounds of feed per pound
of gain. Similar values for lot'of six
pigs feed on soaked corn and 10 per
cent. tankage for six weeks were 1.3
pounds, 80 cents and SIG pounds
In second test made with three lots
of 10 lighter pigs and covering eight
weeks, the average daily gain on soaked
corn was 1.26 pounds. on the smaller
tankage ration l 81 pounds and on the
heavier tankage ration 1853 pounds per
head day. the cost Of pound OF gain
in the three cases being 3.04, 2 88 and
800 cents, and the feed required per
pound of gain A 16, 81 and 1856
pounds.
In third test in which shelled corn
was used eight pigs fed on corn and
shorts a. for eight weeks gained OTIS
pounds per head per day, the feed re-
quired per pound of gain being 4.58
pounds and the cost of POUND Of gain
1886 cents.
The gains were tho same on corn
with 5 per cent. tankage and on corn
with 10 per cent tankage. namely,
1903 pounds per head day. the fed re-
quired per pound of gain 2 81 and 2.93
cents.
10 the first Of the tests some green
sorghum was feed, and in other two tests
the pigs we're pastured on alfalfa, but no
account was taken of the green feed.
The experiments with relatively mature
animals have all shown that the addi-
tion of 5 per cent. tankage to the ra-
tions produced cheaper gains than when
10 per cent. tankage was used.
With young pigs the gains were made
on smaller amounts of food when the
larger amount of tankage was added to
the ration, but the high cost of the tank
age has made the smaller amount of
taukage more profitable.
A notable advantage in the feeding
of tankage is seen in the more rapid
gains made by the hogs and the conse-
quent shortening of the feeding period.
Another argument for tankage is that
it is concentrated protein food Only
small amount is required to produce
the result desired
la all the experiments made at this
station the hogs fed on tankage, CON
sumed more feed, made larger gains and
were not easily put off feed, while the
hogs fed on the straight shell corn were
easily thrown off feed after the FIRST six
weeks, consumed less feed, and made
slower gains.
From the limited test made We ad-
wise adding the tankage to the soaked
corn just before feeding, rather than
mixing with the corn before soaking and
flowing the tankage time to soak and
and possibly become rancid before feed
ing.
In the test in which the effect of feed
on the strength of bones in growing
pigs was studied, the rations fed the
four lots, each containing nine pigs, for
IL weeks consisted of soaked corn alone
and with 10 per cent. tankago, 10 per
cent. ground bone and 25 per cent.
shorts, respectively.
For the succeeding four weeks 10 per
cent. of the corn was replaced BY alfalfa
hay in each ration and then, as tho al
falfa hay was not eaten rapidly, tho un-
thrifty pigs, one from each lot, we're
discarded, and the original ration was
resumed for FIVE weeks.
AT the beginning of the test the
weight of the pigs ranged from 81 to &c
pounds on an average. The smallest
gain, IA pounds, was noted with tho
lot fed on ground bone.
Three pigs in each lot we're slaugh-
tered and the strength of the leg bones
determined with testing machine.
Considering the average for two bones
in each leg, the bones we're markedly
stronger in the case of the pigs fed on
the animal byproducts, ,OSi pounds,
the highest value, being required to
cause breaking in the case of tho ground
bone-fed lot, as compared with ia
pounds, the lowest value, in the case Of
the corn-fed lot. Similar results we're
noted with the foreleg radius bone and
the lower hind-leg tibia.
After continuing the feeding for four
weeks four pigs in each lot were killed
and tho breaking tests repeated. As
before, the strongest bones were noted
with the lot which had received animal
byproducts, the average values, 8 bones.
ranging from 434 pounds with the corn.
fed lot to 1857 pounds with the lot fed
on tankage.
1t is apparent from these results that
the feeding of tankago or ground bone
to young growing pigs produces a very
marked effect on the strength of bone
when compared with corn ration, and
that its influence is still marked when
compared with corn and shorts on al
falfa pasture.