East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-06-19
BY JAMES E. WITHYCOMBE
and E. L. POTTER.

Z
IN feeding have been carried on at
the Oregon Experiment Station in
the last twenty years. In some cases
the results have been unsatisfactory,
and in others it has been necessary to
duplicate the experiment a number of
times before correct results could be
determined Nevertheless a number of
important problems relating to the feed
ing of pigs, especially regarding the
fattening for market, have been work
ed out. 1t will be impracticable to give
q full account of each experiment, but
the principal points investigated will
be noted briefly.
The grain required for 100 pounds
gain during the fattening stage has
been little less than that required at
the eastern stations. The Oregon sta
tion has found the average to be about
450 pounds as compared with 500
pounds in the east. There are perhaps
two reasons for this; first, balanced
ration has been fed in nearly all cases;
second, the pigs have been fed at an
earlier age. The western markets de-
mand pigs weighing about 200 pounds
while the eastern markets prefer a pig
weighing nearly 800 pounds. On exact
ly the same feed it will take about sc
pounds more feed to make 100 pounds
gain on the larger pigs.
Ground Grain.
Ground grain has in all cases proved
more economical than whole grain. Thi,
result has also been confirmed by ex
periments conducted by eastern sta
tions with small grains, although east
ern stations have found it unprofitabl,
to grind corn.
Skim milk has been fed in larg,
number of cases as supplement t.
wheat or barley, and in comparison
with these grains, fed alone. The gain
were in all cases larger and more eco
nomical. The pigs ate better, gained
more rapidly, were better finished, ant
brought higher price at the close O.
the experiment.
Experiments Are Told.
Leaving out one experiment where
the results were evidently abnormally
high, and one where they were abnor
mally low, it was found that from 15!
to 393 pounds Of skin milk were re
quired to take the place of 100 pounds
Of what or barley.
The average amount was 271 pounds
This does ,ot apply to feeding pigs OF
skim milk alone, but to feeding t,
is pounds .'er day in addition to a full
grain ration. The proportion Of milk t.
grain for the most economical gain
was 3 pounds of milk to / pound o.
grain, or thereabouts. With grain a
t1.25 per 100 pounds the milk nigh
be figured to have value of abou
l6 cents per 100 pounds.
This estimate would not, however, b,
Erictly correct for two reasons. In tn,
first place the skim rlilk ration wa
compared with ration of straigh
grain, which abundant evidence ha
shown to be not an economical ration
and also some other supplement nigh
have been purchased which would hav
given equal results at less cost thar
milk at 46 cents.
For example, tankage at 81 cents pc
pound would have been as cheap a
milk at 20 cents per 100 pounds. In tn
second place, the straight grain ratiol
may have been fed at a financial los
snd any profit that may have beel
made from the mixed ration would dc
pend upon the cost Of 271 pounds o
milk being less than the cost Of 10
pounds of grain.
Wheat Versus Barley.
Wheat compared with barley CAV
approximately the same results on tn
average They were compared In
number Of cases, both when fed alon
and when mixed with skim milk. Th
chemical composition Of the two grain
would indicate that the wheat might b
the better when fed alone and th
barley when supplemented with mi