The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1909-09-30
Feeding Fermented Cottonsccd Meal
to Hogs.


to Hogs.
Corn alone proved to be an unde- |
sirable ration for growing hogs, caus- |
ing small gains and unthrift. This |
condition was more marked, owing to |
the fact that the lot was closely
penned. without pasture; yet the
other lots. similarly confined, made
relatively larger gains.
Fermented cottonseed meal can be
fed in small quantities for limited
periods with very gratifying results.
These experiments indicate that sew
enty-five to ninety days would be the
limit Of satisfactory feeding. This
would depend, however, on the age
and condition of the hogs. the sup
Elementary feeds and the proportion
OF cottonseed meal fed.
Lot 3, fed a combination Of corn
and cottonseed meal. in the proper
tion OF four to one, made larger and
cheaper gains for the first ninety days
than the lot similarly fed on corn and
linseed meal. This would seem to
indicate that, when possible, cotton
seed meal should be used, since 1t
contains larger quantity of protein
and sells for about one-fourth less
per ton than linseed meal.
Farmers would. according to the
results Of this experiment, be safe in
feeding fermentcd cottonseed meal to
seventy-five-pound shoats in Quanti-
ties ranging from one-siyth to one
fifth the total ration, by weight, for a
period of seventy-five to ninety days.
The feeding of the four lots of hogs
during the first period was more
profitable when one part of cotton
seed meal was added to the ration of
four parts corn than when corn alone
or corn and linseed meal in combina-
tion were fed. In case of linseed
meal, however, the greater cost of
gain was due to the high price of the
feed, and not so much to it's lack of
| efficiency in making gains. Barring
this one factor. and the possible dam
ger in feeding cottonseed meal, the
two feeds, according to the results
OF this experiment, are approximately
the same in feeding value when fed
for the time stated.
With corn and cottonseed meal
each costing approximately S29 per
] ton, the results of this experiment
show clearly in favor of the combined
corn and cottonseed meal ration, con-
siderinG always the limitations given
as to the amount fed and length of
feeding period. While Lots 2, 3 and
4 have had a somewhat larger ration
than Lot /, the larger gains during
the first period were sufficient to con-
! siderably overbalance this factor.
The practical application of these
results would not be to feed under the
conditions here described, but rather
to feed the corn and cottonseed meal
in connection with grazing crops
which can be produced so abundantly
by Southern farmers. This expert
ment was carried on under adverse
conditions to render safe conclusions
possible.
When fed with judgment, cotton
seed meal can be made a valuable ad
junct to corn as G ration for hogs
1t is our cheapest commercial feed
supplying protein, and should not be
entirely ignored in swine production
Cottonseed meal, when fed in guam
titles, as given in this bulletin, will
after a time-100 to 120 days-ap
parently reduce the normal gains and
profits therefrom. This point shoulC
be kept in the mind of the feeder, the
amount Of feed used recorded, and tn
hogs weighed occasionally. Accurate
judgment will direct when to elm
mate the meal from the ration. Ain
to feed under the limit, however
rather than ovor.-Bulletin Nortl
Carolina Experiment Station. by R. S
Curtis.